The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has clarified the constraints facing Nigerian security agencies in combating banditry, despite having clear intelligence on their operations and locations.
Speaking during an interview on ARISE News’s programme, Prime Time, on Monday, the 24th of November, 2025, Onanuga confirmed that security agencies are fully aware of the identities and precise locations of the bandit groups responsible for mass abductions, including the recent attack on St Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State.
Onanuga confirmed that while operatives possess the necessary intelligence, their operations, particularly kinetic ones like airstrikes, are consistently limited by the high risk of collateral damage to innocent civilians being held captive by the criminals.
“The security people, they know all the bandits that are operating in that axis. They know them. They know where they operate,” he said.
The presidential aide stressed that the government cannot simply launch airstrikes on the identified enclaves due to the presence of non-combatants:
“Our people are living around where they operate. So you can’t just go there. They need to be very careful that in the course of chasing these bandits, they don’t go and innocent Nigerians,” he said.
He further explained that bandits deliberately use their captives as human shields: “What sometimes restrains them from going after them is the risk of collateral damage. They go about abducting our people and use them as a shield so that they will not be attacked,” he said.
Onanuga recalled a tragic past mistake in Borno State to underscore the need for extreme caution:
“Some years ago in Borno State, when the military thought they had the right satellite connection, they bombed the wrong people. They must avoid that kind of mistake,” he said.
He noted, however, that the bandits understand the consequences of their actions: “They know that if they keep those people and refuse to release them, the next thing will be for the government to embark on a kinetic action and attack their base,” he said.
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Challenges in Abduction Verification
Regarding the recent abductions, Onanuga admitted that uncertainty persists about the exact number of missing students because neither the school nor the Niger State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has provided complete records.
“As of now, the authorities are in the dark as to how many people are really missing. You said students are missing let us have their names. Let us know what we are looking for,” he said.
He complicated the verification process further by claiming that the school principal had “disappeared,” leading to frustration among security personnel.
“For the security, they found it very strange that they are not cooperating. What is the agenda?” he said.
Onanuga addressed the President’s directive to redeploy officers from VIP protection to frontline duties, stating that the measure is expected to significantly improve security in vulnerable areas.
“I read today about 100,000 policemen guarding VIPs. If you share them out to vulnerable areas, that will make a lot of difference,” he said.
Responding to criticism from church leaders, Onanuga insisted that the administration fully acknowledges the gravity of the ongoing security challenges.
“This government has never denied that Nigerians are being killed. We know we have problems, but we are making efforts to ensure that we stem all these things,” he said.
The presidential aide concluded by disclosing that the President is currently engaged in security consultations and is expected to address the nation soon. “I think he will do so very soon,” he said.