Former Kano State Governor and presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, says the Federal Government appears overwhelmed by the escalating insecurity across the country, warning that recent developments threaten national unity and stability.

Kwankwaso, a former Minister of Defence, in a post on his verified Facebook page, said his “deep personal concern” stems from what he described as the government’s growing inability to contain banditry, terrorism, ethnic tensions, and the uncontrolled proliferation of arms, problems he believes are now spiralling beyond the capacity of the current security architecture.

According to him, the clearest indication of the government’s struggle is the tacit approval granted to state governments to establish vigilante outfits despite little or no formal training, a situation he said has worsened the spread of small arms and light weapons nationwide.

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“Regrettably, it appears the Federal Government is overwhelmed. This is evident in its tacit endorsement to allow state governments to establish and deploy vigilante security outfits with little or no professional training,” he said in a statement.

Kwankwaso warned that the trend is increasingly being abused by political interests who are allegedly setting up personal militias, further endangering Nigeria’s fragile peace.

“Worst of all, individuals have begun taking advantage of this by setting up their militia, like we are seeing in the actions of some political elements. Such action further threatens the fragile peace in our country,” he added.

He also raised alarm over what he described as a disturbing rise in ethnic and regional profiling, saying Nigerians—particularly those from a certain region—are being subjected to arbitrary arrests, harassment, and even torture in various parts of the country.

“This is compounded by the growing harassment, intimidation, and hate speech on social media, often fueled by ethnic and religious jingoism. These trends pose a grave threat to national unity and cohesion,” he said.

Kwankwaso urged the Federal Government to act “decisively and without delay” to halt the dangerous drift before it escalates further.

“As a former Minister of Defence and Chairman of the Committee on the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, I find the current ease with which arms are being circulated across the country deeply alarming and unacceptable,” he said.

He, however, congratulated General Christopher Gwabin Musa on his appointment as Minister of Defence, expressing confidence in his ability to make a positive impact if given the required political support.

“I am confident that, with the necessary political will and support, he possesses the competence and experience to make a significant difference in restoring security and stability to our nation,” Kwankwaso added.