APC chieftain urges service chiefs to be ruthless with bandits, insurgents
By Blessing Kalu
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Osun State, Mr Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, has called on Nigeria’s Service Chiefs to adopt a tougher approach against insurgents and bandits terrorising parts of the country. In a statement issued in Osogbo on Sunday, Oyintiloye urged the military and security agencies to take decisive action to end the wave of killings and restore public confidence in the nation’s security architecture.
He acknowledged the efforts of security operatives in tackling violent crimes but said more needed to be done to address rising cases of attacks in states such as Kwara, Borno, Zamfara and Niger. “There is no doubt that the Service Chiefs are doing their best to stop the killings by the bandits, but they need to be more ruthless with them until insurgency is completely eradicated from our land,” he said.
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The former lawmaker noted that many Nigerians were living in fear despite the government’s ongoing security operations, stressing the need for tighter internal controls within the security agencies. “I urge them to look inward and identify anyone sabotaging their efforts. This is very important to restore public confidence in the system,” he added. Oyintiloye further advised the Service Chiefs to strengthen collaboration with local security networks to enhance intelligence gathering and community participation in tackling insecurity. He also urged the agencies to focus on tracking and dismantling the financial networks sustaining terrorist and bandit operations.
Commending President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly for their continued support and budgetary allocation to the defence sector, Oyintiloye expressed optimism that Nigeria would overcome its security challenges with sustained cooperation among stakeholders. Nigeria has continued to face significant security concerns, including insurgency in the North-East, banditry in the North-West, and communal violence in the Middle Belt. Recent increases in abductions and attacks have intensified calls for stronger, coordinated military responses across the country.