Former presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has expressed grave concern over the worsening security situation in the country, warning that recent developments pose serious threats to national unity, stability and social cohesion.
In a statement shared on his official X handle on Monday, the former Minister of Defence said addressing the escalating insecurity remains the primary responsibility of the Federal Government, working collaboratively with state and local governments as well as other critical stakeholders in the security architecture.
Kwankwaso, however, lamented that the Federal Government appears overwhelmed by the scale and complexity of the crises confronting the nation.
“Regrettably, it appears the Federal Government is overwhelmed,” he wrote. “This is evident in its tacit endorsement to allow state governments to establish and deploy vigilante security outfits with little or no professional training. Such a policy, however well-intentioned, has inadvertently facilitated the uncontrolled proliferation of small arms and light weapons across the country.”
The former Kano State governor also decried the rising cases of ethnic and regional profiling, describing reports of citizens being targeted, harassed, arrested and, in some cases, tortured in parts of the country as deeply troubling.
“Worst of all, individuals have begun taking advantage of this by setting up their militia, as we are seeing in the actions of some political elements. Such action further threatens the fragile peace in our country,” he warned.
Kwankwaso added that hate speech, harassment and ethnic intimidation—especially on social media—are eroding national cohesion at an alarming rate.
“These trends pose a grave threat to national unity and cohesion,” he said.
Calling for urgent intervention, the former minister urged the Federal Government to act swiftly and decisively.
“The Federal Government must act decisively and without delay to reverse these dangerous developments before they spiral further out of control,” he cautioned. As a former Chairman of the Committee on the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, he described the current ease with which weapons circulate nationwide as “deeply alarming and unacceptable.”
Kwankwaso concluded by congratulating General Christopher Musa (retd.) on his appointment as Minister of Defence, expressing confidence that the former Chief of Defence Staff possesses the experience and capacity to help restore stability—provided he receives strong political backing.
