The Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has said that insecurity in Nigeria is not getting worse, insisting that the Federal Government is taking active steps to address the problem.
Bwala made the remarks during an appearance on Head to Head, a program on Al Jazeera hosted by journalist Mehdi Hasan. The program was recorded at Conway Hall in London and later released on Friday through the show’s social media platforms.
During the interview, Bwala responded to questions about rising security concerns in Nigeria, including terrorist attacks, kidnappings and violence in several parts of the country.
He acknowledged that insecurity remains a major issue but maintained that the situation is not worsening under the current administration.
Speaking during the program, Bwala said the Nigerian government is aware of the security challenges facing the country and is working to manage them.
According to him, Nigeria experienced relative peace during the early years of the present administration.
“I acknowledge the fact that we have insecurity in Nigeria,” Bwala said.
He added that attacks increased after what he described as a “hoax narrative” about the alleged persecution of Christians in the country.
“For the first two years of the present administration, we experienced substantial peace in Nigeria,” he said.
The presidential aide stressed that the government remains committed to improving security across the country.
“I can’t say it is getting worse. As a government, we are working day and night to deal with the situation,” he added.
Bwala also argued that insecurity is not unique to Nigeria.
According to him, security threats exist in many countries around the world.
“There is no country in the world today that is completely free from insecurity,” he said.
He used the example of London, noting that even major cities in developed countries face safety concerns.
“There are parts of London where you cannot go in the evening,” he said.
The presidential aide explained that terrorism has become a global problem since the attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, commonly known as the September 11 attacks.
He said many countries are now working together to combat terrorism.
Bwala said Nigeria is strengthening partnerships with other nations to tackle security challenges.
According to him, President Tinubu recently visited Turkey to reach a bilateral agreement aimed at improving cooperation in the fight against insecurity.
He also said Nigeria is working with the United States and other countries in intelligence sharing and security support.
“These partnerships are important because terrorism has become a global phenomenon,” he said.
Security cooperation between Nigeria and foreign partners has increased in recent years, particularly in areas such as intelligence gathering, military training and counter-terrorism operations.
During the interview, Bwala also criticised what he described as negative portrayals of Nigeria and Africa in some Western media reports.
To explain his point, he used the example of a glass of water.
He said Western media might describe the glass as half empty, while Nigerians would see it as half full.
According to him, such differences in perception often influence how international audiences view the situation in Nigeria.
Bwala highlighted several actions taken by the government to confront terrorist groups.
He said security forces had arrested or eliminated several leaders of extremist groups in recent years.
Among the groups mentioned were Boko Haram and Lakurawa, which operate in parts of northern Nigeria and neighbouring regions.
According to Bwala, some of these operations were carried out months before comments made by former United States president Donald Trump regarding insecurity in Nigeria.
“Six months before that, we arrested leaders of Boko Haram and Lakurawa, and prior to that, we eliminated a number of terrorists,” he said.
He also stated that the United States Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria had acknowledged Nigeria’s efforts in combating terrorism.
The presidential adviser also said the government declared a national emergency on insecurity around April or May 2025.
According to him, the move was part of a broader strategy to strengthen the country’s response to terrorism and other violent crimes.
Nigeria’s security forces, including the military and police, have carried out several operations in different parts of the country in recent years.
These operations have targeted terrorist camps, criminal gangs and kidnapping networks.
Bwala also spoke about the rising cases of kidnapping for ransom in Nigeria.
Kidnapping has become a major concern in many parts of the country, including the North-West, North-Central and parts of the South.
According to Bwala, the problem has developed into what he described as a “crisis economy.”
“I acknowledge that insecurity related to kidnappings has become a crisis economy,” he said.
However, he insisted that the government is making serious efforts to tackle the issue.
He explained that Nigeria’s large size and complex geography make the fight against insecurity particularly challenging.
“If one understands Nigeria’s geography and the nature of insecurity, one will understand that we are confronting a complex, hydra-headed problem,” he said.
Bwala also addressed concerns about the abduction of schoolchildren, which has occurred in several parts of northern Nigeria in recent years.
One of the most well-known incidents was the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping in 2014, when more than 200 girls were taken from their school in Borno State.
Since then, there have been several similar attacks on schools in northern Nigeria.
To address this problem, Bwala said the government has strengthened the Safe Schools Initiative.
According to him, the program includes relocating students from remote and insecure communities to safer locations in state capitals where they can continue their education without fear.
Despite the government’s assurances, Nigeria has recently witnessed renewed attacks in several parts of the country.
Communities in states such as Borno, Kaduna, Zamfara and Niger have reported incidents involving terrorist attacks, banditry and kidnappings.
These challenges have continued to test the capacity of security agencies.
Bwala’s comments have added to the ongoing national debate about the state of security in Nigeria.
While the government says progress is being made, critics and opposition figures argue that more needs to be done to protect communities.
Many Nigerians continue to express concern about safety, particularly in rural areas where attacks and kidnappings have been reported.
For now, the Federal Government maintains that it is taking strong measures to address the problem.
Bwala said the administration remains determined to restore stability and ensure the safety of citizens across the country.
