The Nigerian Presidency has provided detailed explanations about the methods employed by President Bola Tinubu's administration to secure the freedom of citizens kidnapped during recent security incidents across the country.
Government's Comprehensive Security Approach
During an exclusive interview with Sky News in London, President Tinubu's Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Daniel Bwala, confirmed that the Federal Government utilized all necessary measures to protect Nigerians and rescue those held captive by insurgents. Bwala emphasized the administration's commitment to addressing the nation's security challenges head-on.
The presidential aide specifically highlighted successful operations in Kwara State, where all kidnapped victims were successfully rescued, while acknowledging ongoing efforts to secure the release of remaining captives from a recent school abduction in Kaduna State.
Understanding Nigeria's Security Landscape
Bwala provided crucial context about the nature of Nigeria's security challenges, explaining that insurgents frequently target vulnerable locations. What we know is this kind of asymmetric war. Insurgents take advantage of soft targets, kidnapping, burning churches, killing pastors. These places are soft targets, he stated during the interview conducted on November 28, 2025.
The presidential adviser identified Nigeria's geographical realities as contributing factors to security challenges. Nigeria is a large country with large borders, porous borders, so there are lots of ungoverned spaces, Bwala noted, explaining the difficulties in monitoring all territory effectively.
Strategic Security Measures Implemented
To address these vulnerabilities, the Tinubu administration has introduced several key initiatives. The National Safe Schools policy represents a cornerstone of the government's strategy, focusing on relocating vulnerable boarding schools into safer urban areas or integrating them into government-owned unity schools.
Bwala also confirmed that the government is actively working to strengthen security forces through recruitment. Government has introduced measures now to ramp up the number of security forces, he stated, acknowledging that current military and police numbers remain insufficient for Nigeria's population of over 230 million people.
When questioned about potential ransom payments, Bwala provided a nuanced response: There are instances where governments may also have to, if it needs to, in order to rescue the lives of these people, negotiate. He emphasized the sensitivity surrounding such decisions while prioritizing the safe return of abducted citizens.
Addressing Criticism and External Factors
The Presidency responded to concerns raised by community leaders, parents, and religious figures who expressed dissatisfaction with the government's response time to abduction incidents. Bwala defended the administration's record, pointing to improved security in previously troubled areas like Kaduna.
Bwala also addressed international dimensions of Nigeria's security challenges, citing the proliferation of weapons following the fall of Libya's Muammar Gaddafi and the involvement of external actors in regional instability. There are foreign interests carrying out some of these things, especially in places where we have natural resources, he revealed.
The presidential adviser specifically responded to comments made by former US President Donald Trump regarding Christian persecution in Nigeria, describing the claims as based on falsified and faulty reports. Despite these tensions, Bwala emphasized the administration's preference for continued engagement with the United States government on security cooperation matters.
The detailed explanations from the Presidency come amid ongoing security operations and reflect President Tinubu's earlier commitment to ending terrorism and banditry in northern Nigeria, ensuring no region would be allowed to bleed while the federal government watches.
