A respected Northern elder and public affairs analyst, Alhaji Dabo Sambo, has issued a strong warning to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stating that the president’s chances of returning to office in 2027 will be in serious danger unless he urgently addresses the worsening insecurity in northern Nigeria.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Sambo declared that insecurity, particularly in the North-East and North-West, is the most pressing challenge facing Nigeria today, with dire consequences for food supply, economic stability, and public confidence.
“If President Tinubu refuses to wipe out the security challenges, he will definitely not win the 2027 election,” Sambo said pointedly.
Sambo stressed that the inability of citizens to live and farm freely due to banditry, kidnappings, and terrorist activities has led to a food crisis that now threatens millions of Nigerians. According to him, farmers have abandoned their lands, especially in key agricultural states like Zamfara, Katsina, Borno, Kaduna, and Sokoto, resulting in plummeting food production and soaring prices.
“Food is scarce in Nigeria and people are hungry,” he said. “The North feeds Nigeria, but how can we produce food when our farmers are either being killed or kidnapped?”
The elder statesman argued that the link between insecurity and economic hardship is undeniable. He blamed rising inflation, a weak naira, and skyrocketing transportation costs on the failure to secure the country.
“Ordinary Nigerians are suffering. The cost of living is rising daily. Inflation is swallowing people’s savings. Yet, nothing concrete is being done to address the root cause—banditry and terrorism,” he stated.
Sambo called on President Tinubu to act decisively, urging him to stabilize the security situation within the next six months, and to begin reviving the agricultural sector within a year. He emphasized that voters are now more concerned with results than empty campaign promises.
“The era of carton noodles and salt distribution during campaigns is over. Nigerians want food and safety. Without these, they will not vote,” he warned.
Drawing a sharp comparison, Sambo referenced the 2015 general elections, where then-President Goodluck Jonathan was voted out amid growing insecurity and Boko Haram violence.
“Jonathan lost not because he couldn’t talk, but because he couldn’t stop the killings. The same fate awaits Tinubu if he doesn’t act now,” he added.
Interestingly, while Sambo dismissed Tinubu’s political rivals as lacking clear strategies to fix Nigeria, he cautioned that the president must not underestimate voter frustration.
“Tinubu’s biggest enemies are not opposition politicians; they are within his circle—the ones who give false reports, block action, and ignore the suffering of the people. If this continues, even rigging will not save him,” he warned.
Sambo also weighed in on recent claims by Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, and the U.S. Congress, alleging that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) may have indirectly supported insurgent groups like Boko Haram.
He urged the Nigerian government to stop pretending that all external actors are friendly and to begin confronting international influences that may be undermining national security.
“If foreign groups are found to be supporting enemies of the Nigerian people, we must speak out and take action. Silence is no longer an option,” he said.
Alhaji Dabo Sambo’s comments add to a growing chorus of voices from Northern Nigeria demanding urgent federal intervention in tackling insecurity. With bandit attacks, mass abductions, and rural displacement still common across many northern states, pressure is mounting on President Tinubu to demonstrate leadership before it is too late.
