Former Kano State governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has warned that the country is facing a dangerous escalation of insecurity, urging the Federal Government to take urgent action as kidnappings and violent attacks spread across several states.
In a statement posted on X, the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) leader said the security situation had reached a level that demands urgent attention, citing a series of recent incidents that highlight deepening vulnerabilities in the country’s counter-terrorism and internal security systems.
Kwankwaso condemned the kidnapping of 25 schoolgirls in Kebbi State, describing it as a distressing reminder of past mass abductions that shocked the nation and drew international concern.
The attack follows a pattern of school-related kidnappings in northern Nigeria, where armed groups have increasingly targeted students for ransom or political leverage.
He said the killing of Brigadier-General M. Uba by terrorists in Borno State marked one of the bleakest moments in Nigeria’s long struggle against extremist violence.
The general, who was reported to have been ambushed while on operational duty, was among the highest-ranking officers killed in recent years.
Kwankwaso described the incident as a shocking intelligence and operational failure that required an immediate investigation to restore professional confidence within the military.
The former defence minister also cited fresh mass kidnappings in Zamfara State, where armed bands have seized dozens of residents in ongoing raids on rural communities.
The state has struggled with criminal networks operating across large forested zones, despite repeated military deployments and negotiations by local authorities.
Kwankwaso said the spike in bandit attacks in Shanono and Ghari local government areas of Kano State showed that insecurity was no longer restricted to long-troubled regions but was spreading towards previously stable zones.
He welcomed the Kano State Government’s response, including the donation of operational vehicles to security agencies, but said such efforts needed stronger federal backing.
“The Federal Government must fulfil its primary responsibility, warning that the incidents were not isolated but reflected “serious setbacks in the battle against insecurity”.
Kwankwaso called for renewed investment in the armed forces and urged a broader strengthening of the Nigeria Police Force, arguing that frontline units were overstretched and lacked the tools, intelligence support and mobility needed to deter attacks or respond swiftly.
Nigeria has faced repeated spikes in insecurity in recent months, with the military engaged on multiple fronts—from jihadist factions in the northeast to bandit groups in the northwest and separatist militias in the southeast.
Kwankwaso urged authorities to take decisive action to protect citizens, warning that continued failures could deepen public distrust and worsen the humanitarian toll in already vulnerable communities.
