A Nigerian man has sparked widespread discussion online after raising critical questions about the government's awareness of terrorist locations following comments made by President Bola Tinubu's aide about the recent Eruku church kidnapping rescue operation.
Presidential Aide's Controversial Statement
The controversy emerged after Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, appeared in an exclusive interview with Arise TV correspondents. During the discussion about how security forces secured the release of all 38 worshippers kidnapped from Eruku, Kwara State, Onanuga made several statements that caught public attention.
The presidential aide explained that after the incident occurred, the Department of State Services (DSS) and military personnel established contact with the bandits and successfully negotiated the victims' release without harm by Sunday.
Onanuga stated: "The security people have a way of tracking these people; they know what's going on at any time. What sometimes restrains them from going after them is the risk of collateral damage. The bandits go about using our people as shields."
Viral Reaction Questions Government Knowledge
What particularly alarmed social media users was Onanuga's additional comment that the terrorists understood the consequences of not complying with government demands. He noted: "They know if they don't release them, the next thing is for the government to adopt a kinetic action and attack their base."
This reference to the terrorists having a "base" that the government knows about prompted a strong reaction from Twitter user @KINGSLEYEJIOGU1, whose post quickly went viral.
The concerned citizen expressed shock, writing: "Did he say their 'base'? Chineke biko! They have a base in Northern Nigeria that you know, and you say it so confidently? So the government is aware that the terrorists have occupied a space within its sovereign territory and ...??????"
The man's reaction highlighted the troubling implication that the government acknowledges knowing the location of terrorist bases yet hasn't taken decisive action to eliminate them.
Public Outcry and Social Media Reactions
The viral post sparked massive engagement from other social media users who shared similar concerns about the government's approach to handling terrorism.
User @Pekuliapers questioned: "So DSS and Police just called terrorists, told them that govt said you should release the people you kidnapped and boom, terrorists handed over. So, it was govt that told them to kidnap them, bcos that's the only reason they would obey such directives."
Another user, @MistaSam_, pointed out the inconsistency: "He said they know the consequences of not releasing the hostages. My question is, did they not know the consequences of kidnapping them? At this time, it looks like the government are romanticizing the bandits by allowing them to perpetrate violence."
@geoffreydpr expressed confusion about the rescue method: "Jesus's Christ, how did you get them release, then you reply they got in contact with them to get them released what is going on here, no combat, but in contact and they where free, Nigerians."
@somadina_arthur offered a critical perspective: "Saying the govt contacted bandits to free hostages is not a victory it's an admission of failure. No serious nation negotiates with armed criminals it claims to be tracking. If the state can reach them by phone but can't arrest them, it means the bandits are in control, not the govt."
The public reaction demonstrates growing frustration with security challenges in Nigeria and raises important questions about the government's strategy in dealing with terrorist groups operating within the country.
