A former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai (rtd), has issued a stark warning that Nigeria’s political elite including governors, ministers, and senators could soon become primary targets for bandits and terrorists if the federal government does not radically overhaul its current security strategy.
Buratai’s warning was contained in a strongly-worded press statement released on Sunday, titled “A Frank and Patriotic Advice on Nigeria’s Escalating Security Crisis.” The retired general indicated that the nation’s security challenges have crossed a dangerous threshold, pointing directly to the recent abduction, torture, and killing of a senior military officer, Major General Rabe Abubakar, by non-state actors.
According to Buratai, the targeted execution of a high-ranking military officer exposes a severe vulnerability in the country’s defensive posture, proving that criminal elements have grown increasingly audacious and heavily armed.
”When a general falls into the hands of non-state actors, it signals a serious erosion of tactical deterrence,” Buratai warned. “If this trend continues unchecked, the next targets may not be soldiers or civilians alone. They could include ministers, senators, and even state governors. No leader will be immune.”
The former army chief noted that current events are validating a grim prediction he made in 2021, when he cautioned that insurgency and banditry could plague the nation for up to two decades without aggressive, decisive intervention. He emphasized that armed groups now operate with sophisticated intelligence networks and weaponry that aggressively rival conventional state forces.
Critiquing the government’s handling of the crisis, Buratai called for an immediate end to “reactive” policies, heavily criticizing the practice of paying ransoms and entering negotiations with criminal syndicates. Instead, he urged the Federal Government to establish a unified security command with direct authority over operations in high-risk zones.
To effectively dismantle the security threat, Buratai insisted that the government must target the entire criminal ecosystem, which includes financial backers, logistical collaborators and supply lines, which cut-off the access points used by bandits to acquire heavy weaponry.
The former diplomat to the Benin Republic also challenged state governors to step up and take greater responsibility for the safety of their domains, rather than relying solely on federal interventions. He advocated for the immediate strengthening of community intelligence networks, robust support for vetted local vigilante groups, and a renewed push toward state policing initiatives.
Describing himself as a patriot with no political agenda, Buratai closed his statement with a plea to Nigeria’s current leadership to act before the crisis escalates beyond repair.
”If we do not radically change our approach today, the headlines of tomorrow may make today’s tragedy seem like only a warning,” he said, adding that Major General Abubakar’s death must serve as the “last preventable sacrifice.”
