Former Governor of Sokoto State and ex-Speaker of the House of Representatives, Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has described Nigeria’s worsening security situation as “very concerning and alarming,” warning against the politicisation of the crisis.
Tambuwal made the remarks on Saturday while speaking to journalists in Sokoto, reacting to recent comments and policy positions by the United States government, which reportedly classified Nigeria as a “country of particular concern.”
He described the designation as unfortunate, saying it failed to properly capture the nature and complexity of Nigeria’s security challenges.
“I would like to believe that President Trump and the American government did not get the full grasp and appreciation of the Nigerian situation,” Tambuwal said.
According to him, insecurity in Nigeria is not driven by religion but is a general security crisis affecting citizens across faiths and regions.
“What we are facing is not a religious crisis but a security crisis affecting Nigerians of all faiths and backgrounds,” he said.
Tambuwal aligned with the Vatican’s position on the issue, noting that the Pope had acknowledged that both Christians and Muslims in Nigeria are victims of widespread insecurity.
“These marauders do not represent any religion. They are common criminals going after innocent Nigerians,” he said, citing attacks in states such as Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto and Kebbi.
The former governor stressed that insecurity has become a national challenge that transcends politics, ethnicity and religion, adding that no place of worship is immune.
“You can’t go to the mosque; you can’t go to church safely. This is not about a section of the country or a religion. It is about Nigeria,” he said.
He called on the United States and other international partners to reconsider their stance and instead support the administration of President Bola Tinubu in tackling the security crisis.
“It’s not about Bola Tinubu as a person or party politics. It’s about Nigeria. Any country that can support Nigeria to overcome insecurity should do so,” Tambuwal said.
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Drawing from his experience as a former governor, he recalled that all 36 state governors once collectively supported the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari to procure military assets to strengthen national security.
“At that time, about one billion dollars was taken from consolidated revenue funds to acquire Tucano aircraft. It wasn’t about party politics,” he said.
However, Tambuwal alleged that the Nigerian Air Force was unable to fully deploy the aircraft because the United States did not supply all the required components.
He urged Nigerian leaders at all levels to rise above political differences and work together to address insecurity, stressing that the crisis affects all Nigerians.
Tambuwal also appealed to the media to continue reporting security issues responsibly and objectively to help draw government attention to the challenges facing citizens across the country.