Kidnapping: Ministers, Senators Governors May Become Targets, Buratai Warns

Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai (Rtd.) has warned that Nigeria’s worsening security situation could deteriorate further if urgent and decisive measures are not taken, cautioning that political leaders, including ministers, senators, and governors, may become targets of bandits and insurgents.

He proposed the establishment of a National Emergency Command with direct authority over all security agencies operating in high-risk areas, saying such a structure would eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks and improve operational effectiveness.

Buratai further stressed the need to target the financiers and collaborators who sustain criminal networks, including illegal miners, ransom negotiators, and local informants.

“Bandits do not survive on weapons alone. They depend on support networks that must be identified, dismantled, and prosecuted,” he stated.

Buratai in a statement titled, “A frank and patriotic advice on Nigeria’s escalating security crisis,” followed reports surrounding the abduction and killing of a senior military officer, and former Military Spokesman Maj.-Gen. Rabe Abubakar in Katsina State.

The former army chief said the killing of a senior military officer by non-state actors signals a dangerous escalation in the country’s security challenges and should serve as a wake-up call to authorities at all levels.

He warned “When a general falls into the hands of non-state actors, it signals a serious erosion of tactical deterrence. If this trend continues unchecked, the next targets may not be soldiers or civilians alone. They could include ministers, senators, and even state governors,”.

Buratai recalled that in 2021, he had predicted that insurgency and banditry could persist for up to two decades if drastic measures were not implemented, adding that current developments appear to validate those concerns.

Buratai who is a former Nigerian envoy to the Benin Republic urged the Federal Government to acknowledge the limitations of its current security strategy.

He further argued that bandits and insurgents now operate with sophisticated intelligence capabilities, heavy weaponry, and a level of audacity that increasingly challenges state authority.

He called for an end to the practice of negotiating with criminal groups and advocated for a comprehensive military and intelligence offensive against terrorist and bandit networks.

According to him, the coordinated military operations carried out between 2015 and 2019 demonstrated that sustained pressure could significantly degrade insurgent capabilities.

While proposing the establishment of a national emergency command said “Insecurity is no longer a regional problem; it is a national emergency,” adding that the proposed command should report directly to the President and be given a clear mandate to dismantle terrorist and bandit strongholds.

Buratai also challenged state governors to assume greater responsibility in addressing insecurity, advocating for stronger support for state-level policing initiatives, vetted vigilante groups, and community intelligence systems integrated into broader security structures.

While calling for enhanced protection of public officials through improved intelligence sharing and counter-ambush measures, he insisted that the ultimate objective should be the dismantling of the criminal ecosystem fueling insecurity across the country.

Describing himself as a patriot with no political motive, Buratai urged leaders to act decisively before the security crisis worsens.

He said “If we do not radically change our approach today, the headlines of tomorrow may make today’s tragedy seem like only a warning,”.

He added that while the abduction of senior political leaders is not inevitable, it could become a realistic threat if the country continues with what he described as “business as usual.”

He therefore,called on authorities to ensure that the death of Maj.-Gen. Abubakar becomes “the last preventable sacrifice” in Nigeria’s ongoing battle against insecurity.