Rabiu Kwankwaso, the vice presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), has condemned the government's handling of the insecurity crisis, alleging that the Bola Tinubu administration lacks the political will to salvage the country from the deteriorating crisis.

The former Kano State Governor made the comment in a statement as he lamented the recent attacks in Zamfara, Borno, Sokoto, Katsina, Kwara and Oyo States, stating that “our citizens can no longer sleep with both eyes closed”.

He pointed out that banditry, kidnapping for ransom, terrorism, communal clashes, and armed robbery “have tragically become daily occurrences” in Nigeria.

According to him, what is most alarming is the “audacity of these criminals, who now brazenly hold live sessions on social media to taunt the authorities and terrorise the public.

“This is totally unacceptable and not befitting of a sovereign nation like ours.

“As someone who has served this country at various levels, including as Governor of Kano State and Minister of Defence, where we confronted and significantly reduced security challenges through decisive leadership and community engagement, I remain convinced that insecurity is not insurmountable. What we lack today is not resources, but the requisite political will and sincerity to confront this menace head-on.

“The current approach has clearly failed. Despite massive budgetary allocations to the security sector, the situation continues to deteriorate rapidly. Innocent lives are being lost daily, families are displaced in their thousands, and our economy is suffocating under the heavy weight of fear and instability.

“We cannot continue on this dangerous path. Nigeria’s security architecture requires an urgent and comprehensive overhaul.

“Additionally, to safeguard our socioeconomic wellbeing, the government must prioritise the provision of quality education, modern infrastructure, accessible healthcare, reliable electricity supply, and essential agricultural inputs. This approach will strengthen local food production and reduce over-reliance on imports for food security.

“We must immediately prioritise the welfare and motivation of our gallant security personnel, strengthen intelligence gathering, enhance community policing, and, most crucially, tackle the root causes of this crisis; poverty, mass unemployment, and poor governance through massive investment in quality education, skills acquisition, and job creation for our teeming youth”.