The Renewed Hope Labourers Network (RHOLAN) has rejected claims by the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) national chairman, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has failed Nigerians on security. The group, in a statement issued on Wednesday, October 22, 2026, said such assertions deliberately ignore documented military progress, citing figures from the Defence Headquarters that show more than 3,000 terrorists and bandits have been neutralised and over 120,000 insurgents and their families have surrendered in the past two years.
RHOLAN Cites Defence HQ Figures to Counter PRP Chairman
In a statement signed by its Director of Public Affairs, Toby Prince, RHOLAN said Baba-Ahmed's position presents a misleading picture of the security situation across Nigeria. The group pointed to verified military gains, including the neutralisation of over 3,000 terrorists and bandits, the surrender of more than 120,000 insurgents and their families, and the rescue of over 2,000 kidnap victims within the last two years.
For the third quarter of 2026 alone, the group said troops killed or arrested 1,887 terrorists and criminals, rescued 1,736 kidnapped civilians, and forced 333 insurgents to surrender. These figures, according to RHOLAN, demonstrate tangible progress in the fight against insecurity.
RHOLAN Highlights Military Operations and Reopened Territories
The network also highlighted the creation of Defence Special Forces Brigades in Kaduna and Niger States, alongside the expansion of Operations Hadin Kai and Fansan Yamma. It said these efforts have reopened farmlands, markets, and major roads that were previously off-limits due to terrorist activity.
Addressing Baba-Ahmed's specific reference to the Abuja-Kaduna highway, Prince said additional security outposts, improved surveillance, and ongoing road reconstruction have transformed conditions on that corridor. The group dismissed Baba-Ahmed's claim that children cannot go to school because of bandits, calling it "outdated and misleading."
"Data confirm that troops have degraded terrorist and bandit capacity, reopened previously controlled territories, and enabled the gradual return of normal life, including schooling, in many affected communities," the statement read.
PRP Claims Dismissed as Political Mischief
RHOLAN accused Baba-Ahmed of ignoring mass surrenders, large-scale rescues, and the reopening of schools across several northern states, describing his comments as "pure political mischief."
"Baba-Ahmed's attempt to paint a picture of total collapse while ignoring mass surrenders, large-scale rescues and the reopening of schools in several northern states is pure political mischief. The facts on the ground contradict his narrative," Prince said.
The group also noted President Tinubu's recent directive to security chiefs to rescue all remaining abductees and ensure no terrorist or bandit camp remains anywhere in Nigeria. It described the administration's mix of military operations, special forces expansion, and community engagement as producing results that could not be dismissed.
"Over 3,000 neutralised, over 120,000 surrendered, and thousands of victims rescued are not a failure. They are evidence of a government that is fighting and winning," the statement read. RHOLAN said it would continue to defend verified progress and support efforts to further improve national security.
Coalition Backs Tinubu's 90-Day Security Plan
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that a civil society group focused on security reforms backed President Tinubu's directive ordering the preparation of a National Threat Assessment and a rolling five-year Strategic Defence Operations Plan. The Coalition of Patriots for Security Sector Reforms (CPSSR) issued a statement on Monday, August 24, through its National Coordinator, Dr Salisu Attah, welcoming the presidential directive and the 90-day deadline attached to it. The group said the initiative addresses longstanding gaps in how Nigeria coordinates its security architecture.
