Minister of State for Defence, Bello Muhammad Matawalle, has said only God can ultimately end Nigeria’s insecurity challenges.
The country has seen fresh cases of killings and abductions in recent weeks, including incidents in Oyo and Borno states between May 15 and 17.
Daily Trust reported that gunmen attacked three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, abducting 39 students and seven teachers. In Borno State, armed groups attacked schools in Mussa, Askira-Uba Local Government Area, and abducted 42 pupils.
Speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa, Matawalle described insecurity as a national challenge that requires support from both security agencies and citizens.
“It’s disheartening, and we must all rise to ensure that security agencies and Nigerians work together to end insecurity in the country. Insecurity does not discriminate based on political affiliation or religion. It can affect anyone.
“That is why we have urged the opposition to stop using insecurity to incite people. It is a challenge that can happen to anyone, and no Nigerian is happy about it. Unfortunately, some members of the opposition appear pleased with the situation. They do not care about the people. What matters to them is portraying the government as a failure for their own political interests and deceiving people into believing they alone can end insecurity.
“It is only God that can bring to an end to this insecurity, alongside our collective prayers and efforts. It should not be used as a tool to condemn others or score political points.”
Matawalle also alleged that old and misleading videos were being shared on social media to paint President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration as a failure.
“There are fake and recycled videos being circulated, some dating back to the Jonathan administration and others from countries such as Burkina Faso and Mali, yet they are being presented as incidents that occurred under this administration. That is not true.
“Our security operatives are working tirelessly across the country. We have directed them to decisively with terrorists, but this is not a challenge that can disappear overnight. Even some of the world’s powerful nations have battled insecurity for years and are still confronting it.
“We ask Nigerians to continue praying for us and supporting efforts to bring this challenge to an end.”
