By Sylvester Udemezue
An Arise TV report of April 15, 2025, titled “Tinubu Tasks Governor Mutfwang to Confront Plateau Crisis Head-On, Says ‘Enough is Enough’,” stated that President Bola Tinubu directed Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang to take decisive action to resolve the ongoing crisis and bring lasting peace to the state. This followed the killing of 54 people in Zike-Kimakpa community, Bassa Local Government Area, in an attack by gunmen—just a week after another assault in Bokkos Local Government Area that claimed 61 lives. The Vanguard Newspapers’ version under the headline, “Plateau, Benue Killings: Gov Alia Threatens, Tinubu Gives Mutfwang Marching Orders,” reporting that the President ordered Governor Mutfwang to take political action to resolve the crisis.
The directive has sparked mixed reactions, with some Nigerians criticizing it as an abdication of responsibility, questioning how governors can protect citizens without control over security agencies. Meanwhile, in response to the renewed wave of terror attacks across Nigeria, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has emphasized that tackling insecurity is a collective duty of both the Federal and State Governments. In a recent statement, the NBA President noted that Section 14(2)(b) of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution mandates that “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government,” and called on President Tinubu and state governors to implement coordinated security strategies focused on intelligence gathering, rapid response, and protecting vulnerable communities. See: “NBA to FG: Prioritise intelligence gathering to curb nationwide killings”; The Cable; April 15, 2025.
Below Is My Take On The Presidential Directive To Governor Mutfwang:
- By issuing the directive, the Federal Government has effectively—and indirectly—acknowledged its inability to tackle worsening insecurity alone. In doing so, it also concedes its limitations and implicitly endorses the late Governor Akeredolu’s call for decentralized and localized policing, as highlighted in his 2022 statement. See: “National Insecurity Requires Decentralised and Localised Policing, says Ondo’s Akeredolu”; SkyDaily; July 4, 2022.
- In view of this, and while I respectfully urge the Federal Government as a matter of national emergency, to intensify its efforts in addressing the escalating security challenges across parts of Nigeria, I submit that state governors must urgently take bold and proactive measures to confront insecurity within their jurisdictions. Specifically, governors should consider establishing state security outfits and equipping them with modern tools and resources necessary for effective security operations.
- Given the President’s directive to Governor Mutfwang and the earlier advice by the Director General of the SSS/DSS, it’s reasonable to conclude that if states establish and equip security outfits, no federal authority would have grounds to object. Speaking earlier at the maiden annual lecture of the National Association of the Institute for Security Studies (AANISS) in Abuja, on 14 February 2025, the Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS), Oluwatosin Ajayi, had called for the arming of local communities for self-defence. He emphasized that communities should be empowered to act as the first line of defence against insurgency, ahead of intervention by the police, military, and other security agencies. See: “Insecurity: Why Nigerian communities should be armed for defence – SSS DG”: Premium Times; 14 February 2025.
- Accordingly, instead of criticizing the President’s directive to Governor Mutfwang, the directive should be commended as a broad mandate empowering all state governors to address security challenges in their states. This move effectively cedes a part of the responsibility to the governors, leaving them with no excuse for inaction against insecurity and terrorism.
- While the President’s directive is commendable, I believe the directive is incomplete. Mr President should go further by officially authorizing governors, as Chief Security Officers of their states, to procure modern arms — including AK-47s — and other necessary security equipment. Additionally, he must assure governors that there will be no interference in any lawful actions they take to combat insecurity. This is crucial, especially considering past tensions, such as the clash between the Federal Government and Governor Akeredolu over his efforts to arm the Amotekun Corps in Ondo State. See: (1) “Insecurity: Akeredolu Vows to Acquire Weapons for Amotekun, Blasts FG on Double Standards,” adding, “We believe in one Nigeria, but we cannot have one country, two systems.”; Premium Times; September 22, 2022. (2) “Insecurity: No State Has Approval to Procure Automatic Weapons–Presidency.” BusinessDay; September 29, 2022.
- Meanwhile, it must be re-emphasized that the directive by Mr. President does not exonerate the Federal Government for its failings, nor does it imply that the Federal Government will now abandon the states to their fate in this regard. I believe the directive is aimed at establishing a first line of defence in the ongoing war against insecurity in Nigeria. I accordingly submit that President Tinubu’s directive must be understood in the context of an earlier declaration by the Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS), who stated that “the practical approach to mobilising people is that you have to get everyone involved.” The DG had further explained:
“You do not expect the Nigerian army, police, DSS, to protect every Nigerian. It is not going to work. How can you create the first line of defence? The military, police, and other security agencies have to deal with the bigger ones, like organised crime. It is unimaginable that any security agencies have the resources to deploy to every community. What we have to start experimenting with is how we can make the community be a fist in the first line of defense.We have to allow some level of armament for the communities and they can serve as the first line of defence”.
- Conclusion And Recommendation: The REALITY is that, if we fail to rise now and defend ourselves against the terrorists who are determined to erase indigenous populations from Nigeria, we may one day wake up to find they have succeeded. The bandits and criminal elements wreaking havoc across the country are not acting randomly—they are on a deliberate mission. The sooner we acknowledge this harsh reality, the better. Prayers alone will not save us. The time for pragmatic, decisive action is now. We must take our destiny into our own hands if we hope to secure a safe and stable Nigeria for both present and future generations. Let us, therefore, be careful not to ignore this REALITY —because anyone who succeeds in ignoring reality will not succeed in escaping the consequences of doing so.
✔To be continued.
Respectfully,
§¢µð𝓮̂𝓶𝓮̂𝔃µ𝓮̂
Sylvester Udemezue (udems),
Legal Practitioner, Law Teacher, and Proctor of The Reality Ministry of Truth, Law, and Justice (A Public Interest Law Advocacy Group).
- [email protected]
Date: 14 April 2025
