A Northern elder and public affairs analyst, Alhaji Dabo Sambo, has issued a stern warning to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the worsening state of insecurity and banditry plaguing Northern Nigeria.
Speaking with reporters, Sambo described security as the most pressing challenge confronting the nation, stressing that failure to decisively tackle the issue may severely damage the president’s chances of re-election in 2027.
He drew parallels to the 2015 general election, where former President Goodluck Jonathan lost power largely due to growing insecurity, particularly in the North-East. “If President Tinubu fails to address the security challenges, he will definitely not win the 2027 election,” Sambo declared.
According to him, the days of distributing “cartons of noodles and salt” during campaigns are over. “People want security and food. Without these, they will not vote,” he asserted.
Sambo lamented that the North-West and North-East regions, which contribute over 60% of Nigeria’s agricultural production, have been devastated by terrorism and banditry. He said these crises have forced farmers to abandon their fields, leading to a drastic decline in food production, rising prices, and widespread hunger.
He further highlighted the broader economic implications, including the naira’s depreciation, surging transport costs, and inflation, all of which are steadily draining the resources of everyday Nigerians.
Sambo urged President Tinubu to take urgent steps within the next six months to contain the insecurity crisis and revive local agriculture within a year. Failure to do so, he warned, could mirror the fate of Jonathan’s 2015 defeat.