The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has described the rising wave of terrorist attacks in Nigeria as a coordinated effort aimed at distracting President Bola Tinubu from his ongoing reform agenda.
Akpabio made the remarks on Tuesday in Abuja during his goodwill message at the official inauguration of the Nigeria Revenue Service Headquarters. He suggested that the security challenges facing the country were being deliberately fueled to undermine the administration’s progress.
According to him, those behind the attacks are attempting to destabilise the government, adding that such incidents would cease after the 2027 elections. He maintained that President Tinubu’s performance remained strong despite what he termed coordinated opposition efforts.
His comments come shortly after President Tinubu held a closed-door meeting with the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Olufemi Oluyede, and a senior French military official at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. The meeting was part of ongoing efforts to strengthen security cooperation and address Nigeria’s worsening security situation.
Nigeria continues to grapple with multiple security crises, including insurgency in the North-East, banditry in the North-West and North-Central, as well as frequent kidnapping incidents. Recent incidents, including a controversial airstrike that reportedly resulted in civilian casualties, have further intensified public concern.
Akpabio also used the occasion to defend the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, over allegations of political bias linked to an old social media post. He argued that the claims had been misinterpreted and lacked proper context, stressing that the statements in question were made before the INEC chairman assumed office.
He further noted that while public officials must remain neutral once in office, individuals are entitled to personal views before assuming national responsibilities.
