Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, has explained why security forces cannot carry out indiscriminate operations against bandits terrorising northern Nigeria.
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Speaking on Monday during an interview on Arise Television’s “Prime Time” programme, Onanuga said that while security agencies are aware of where bandits operate, they cannot launch immediate attacks. He explained that the militants often hide among civilians, and moving in hastily could put innocent lives at serious risk.
Onanuga’s remarks follow a series of violent incidents, including the abduction and killing of 38 worshippers at Christ Apostolic Church in Kwara State, a case President Tinubu later confirmed had been resolved with all victims rescued. In a separate event, more than 200 schoolchildren were abducted from a Catholic private school in another state, though around 50 of the children managed to escape and have been reunited with their families.
He warned that security forces must act with precision to avoid harming innocent civilians, recalling a past situation in Borno where an unintended military strike led to civilian casualties. Onanuga emphasised that operations against bandits must prioritise the safety of the very communities they are designed to protect.
