Member of the Board of Trustees of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Buba Galadima, has accused the Federal Government of abandoning its core constitutional responsibility, saying Nigeria’s worsening insecurity is the direct result of leaders who “spend 99 percent of their time on politicking” instead of protecting citizens.

Speaking during an interview with ARISE News on Monday, Galadima said the mass abductions in Niger State and other parts of the North were proof that the government had failed.

“For me, the government has abdicated its primary responsibility of protecting lives and properties of citizens and has given 99 percent of its time to politicking,”he said.

 “Governance, especially in a country like Nigeria, is a serious business. It is not how to make money, but how much sacrifice the leaders make on behalf of the people.”

He argued that any Nigerian president, governor or council chairman ought to dedicate almost every waking hour to solving problems.
“You shouldn’t have more than six hours for leisure. The remaining must be hands on the wheels. That we are not seeing.”

Galadima accused the APC administration of prioritising political dominance over national security.

“This government is only concerned about receiving decampees or trying to destroy opposition political parties,”he said.

“It is not in their interest to destroy opposition because without opposition there is no democracy. And if there is no democracy, it means we are sliding to fascism, dictatorship of the Mussolini type. And this is exactly where they are taking us.”

He warned that even APC members should defend the existence of opposition to remain relevant within their own party.

On what should be done to stop mass abductions, Galadima said the administration must abandon force without intelligence.

“Those in authority must put on their thinking cap and do the needful. They have tried this ’gara gara’, as I call it. It did not work. It is now time to use their intellect, use technology, and protect our citizens.”

To illustrate the power of technology, he cited a case he witnessed in China where CCTV and tracking systems traced a stolen bag across two airports and recovered it within hours.

“So that illustrates the point. We are not serious. We are only interested in power to make money or to show you that I have arrived.”

Asked what he would do differently, Galadima offered a candid admission.

“In the first place, because I cannot make that sacrifice of 18 hours per day for you. That is why I am neither electable nor appointable.”

He said he joined political campaigns in the past because he believed he could influence policy, including his support for late Muhammadu Buhari and Rabiu Kwankwaso.

“I assumed Buhari could do it. When he got there, I discovered he was also one of them,”he said. “Of course he let me down.”

Galadima argued that Nigeria’s current security strategy is obsolete.

“The president should forget about physical security. We have passed that stage. We have to use technology to detect things even before they happen, and set up special squads to deal with issues as they spring up in the next five minutes.”

He said security operatives had prior intelligence about the movement of bandits before the attack on the school in Niger State.

“Somebody was capturing them verbatim. He said they were going towards Yawuri or Ngaski. That is intelligence. The security should have moved quickly.”

He condemned the failure of soldiers stationed at the school.
“Why did they leave the place? They should be court-martialled and be shot.”

Galadima dismissed the closure of schools in northern states as cowardly.

“In the first place, it is shameful to close down the schools—shameful on government and on authorities at every level. You can’t close down schools. What you should do is protect them.”

The NNPP chieftain drew a controversial comparison between past and present administrations.

“I was one of the greatest critics of Jonathan’s presidency. I didn’t know God would disgrace me to show me that Jonathan was even a saint and a better administrator than those that followed him.”

He praised former President Goodluck Jonathan for postponing the 2015 elections and hiring foreign mercenaries.
“He postponed the election for six weeks, brought mercenaries, and within six weeks those mercenaries stabilised Nigeria. There was no polling booth where elections did not take place.”

He argued that hiring mercenaries today would cost less than 10 percent of what the Nigerian military currently consumes.

Galadima described a shocking confession he saw in a video.

“An ISWAP commander who killed Brigadier General Musa told a journalist he had the picture of the whole of Sambisa—if an ant is entering Sambisa, they can see it.”

He said insurgents also used drones in recent attacks in Marte and Banki.
“So if a bandit or Boko Haram fighter has access to those equipment, what stops the Nigerian government?”

He insisted insurgents do not live among their captives, dismissing excuses about collateral damage.

“They live a life of their own elsewhere. The security people know. We have to be serious. We have to put pressure on these elements for them to surrender.”

Galadima warned President Tinubu against bowing to pressure from US President Donald Trump.

“The president should be very careful in not mortgaging Nigeria because of Trump’s threat. That we will not accept.”

He said Tinubu must surround himself with honest advisers.
“He has to sit up and look for people of knowledge who can look him straight in the eye and tell him how things should be done—not yes-sir men who are after buttering their own bread.”

Boluwatife Enome 

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