Why Security Agencies No Fit Bomb Bandit Enclaves – Presidential Aide

Di Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, don reveal say security agencies sabi di identities and locations of di bandit groups wey carry out recent mass abductions, including di attack on St Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, Niger State. Onanuga talk dis one for interview on Monday, and im explain say even though security operatives get full intelligence, dem operations dey limited because civilians dey trapped inside di bandits’ enclaves. According to am, government no fit just go bomb di hideouts as “our people dey live around dia area,” and dem wan avoid another mistake like di Borno incident where military mistakenly bomb civilians due to wrong satellite reading. He add say authorities still dey in di dark about how many students dem kidnap because di school and Niger CAN never submit full names, and even di school principal don “disappear,” wey make verification hard for security people.

Onanuga further explain say one major reason why security forces no dey rush bandit camps immediately after abductions na di risk of collateral damage, as di criminals dey use abducted victims as shield. He talk say di bandits sabi say if dem hold people too long, government fit launch kinetic action attack on dia base. On top di President order to redeploy officers from VIP protection to frontline duty, Onanuga say shifting di reported 100,000 policemen guarding VIPs into vulnerable communities go improve security well-well. Responding to church leaders’ criticism, he insist say government no dey deny di killings and dey work to reduce di crisis. He also reveal say President Tinubu go address Nigerians soon after ongoing security consultations.