Constitutional lawyer and Chairman of Eagle FM, an Ijebu-based radio station, Asiwaju Kunle Kalejaye (SAN), has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take decisive action by declaring a national emergency on banditry, kidnapping, and all forms of terrorism across the country.

Kalejaye made the call while reacting to growing public concern over insecurity, describing the persistent wave of violence as a national embarrassment to both the government and the people of Nigeria, as well as to the international community.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria stated that the Tinubu administration must adopt more far-reaching and decisive measures to halt the escalating security crisis before it further undermines the nation’s security architecture.

He emphasized that failure to act swiftly could erode public confidence in the country’s security institutions, particularly the Nigerian Army, which risks being perceived as incapable of effectively defending the nation against criminal elements.

Kalejaye noted that public trust in the military has already suffered significant damage, partly because bandits, kidnappers, and other criminal groups increasingly disguise themselves in military uniforms while carrying out their operations.

He warned that if urgent steps are not taken to reverse the trend, the prestige and integrity traditionally associated with the armed forces could continue to diminish, exposing military personnel and symbols to public ridicule and distrust.

While acknowledging the government’s efforts to combat insecurity, the legal luminary maintained that such efforts may yield limited results unless accompanied by a clear national declaration demonstrating Nigeria’s collective resolve to confront and eliminate terrorism.

He explained that a declaration of a national emergency on terrorism would send a strong message that the nation unequivocally rejects violence and is prepared to deploy all available resources to defeat it.

The Ibadan-based legal icon further urged the federal government to formulate and implement concrete strategies aimed at crushing terrorist activities, warning that perpetrators have become increasingly audacious.

He observed that criminal operations are no longer confined to remote communities but are now extending into major towns and cities.

He argued that celebrating democracy in an environment where law and order are constantly threatened by insecurity diminishes the essence of democratic governance and projects a negative image of the country.

Kalejaye emphasized that the protection of lives and property remains one of the foremost constitutional responsibilities of any government.

He added that effective security management requires proactive, rather than reactive, measures.

According to him, this includes identifying threats to national security early and neutralizing them before they become too powerful to contain.

He appealed to President Tinubu to immediately declare a national emergency on terrorism and related crimes, insisting that such a move would demonstrate Nigeria’s total abhorrence of these acts and its determination to eradicate them.

“It is left to President Tinubu to save our nation at this perilous time,” Kalejaye (SAN) insisted.