President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday vowed that non-state actors responsible for causing hardship, misery, killings, injuries, and hostage situations for Nigerians will face consequences for their actions.
President Tinubu made this vow while speaking at a two-day summit organized by the Alliance for Yoruba Democratic Movement (AYDM), a coalition of 130 pan Yoruba-Itsekiri groups, held in Ikeja, Lagos.
He noted that the role of some non-state actors in Nigeria’s political ecosystem has been both negative and positive.
The president, who was represented by his Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Media Matters, Mr. Tunde Rahman, while speaking on the summit’s theme, “Sustainable Democracy in Nigeria: The Role of Non-State Actors,” warned that non-state actors who have subjected Nigerians to hardship and misery should be strongly condemned and made to face the consequences of their actions. He added, “They do not represent us and should be exterminated.”
The president, however, noted that some non-state actors are making positive contributions, despite criticism for taking on responsibilities that should ideally be handled by the nation’s security agencies if they were performing adequately.
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“Non-state actors who have subjected our people to hardship and misery, who have killed, wounded, and held our people hostage because they wield lethal weapons, should be strongly condemned.
“Those who use force of arms to perpetrate evil and cause mayhem should face the consequences of their actions. I’m referring here to bandits, kidnappers, militia groups, armed robbers, and other criminals who daily terrorize our people.
“They do not represent us and should be exterminated. However, some non-state actors are making positive contributions, though some have criticized them for doing what should be the exclusive responsibility of our security agencies if they were to live up to their billing.
“I’m referring to those who protect our pipelines from attack and vandalism, which we must at least acknowledge as a positive contribution to the country. Those are the two divides and ways I perceive the non-state actors in our society,” he said.
Speaking on “Economic Realities, Democratic Dividends, and Public Expectations: The Challenges and Prospects,” the president admitted that Nigerians are facing economic challenges but assured that things are gradually improving.
According to him, the National Bureau of Statistics revealed that Nigeria’s headline inflation rate eased to 33.4% in July 2024, slowing for the first time in almost two years, down from a high of 34.19% in the previous month. However, he noted that inflation still poses a problem.
“However, all of that is just one part of our story. Let me assure you that things are gradually improving. The statistics show this. Our economic indicators are strong. As you may have noticed from the inflation figure I quoted earlier, inflation is coming down. Significantly, the Central Bank of Nigeria has also restored stability to the financial sector,” Tinubu said.
Chairman of the occasion, Comrade Adewale Adeoye, in his opening remarks, said the summit was coming at a time when the country was facing a very difficult and unpredictable future, and when the three main indices of development—food, human and environmental security, and leadership with good conscience that brings hope to the long-suffering people—were threatened.
He, however, cautioned that democracy cannot just be destroyed because of its errors, stressing the need to confront the challenges and work towards improving the economic and social conditions of the people.
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He also decried the call for the subversion of democracy, describing it as irresponsible, and urged non-state actors to speak with one voice against such self-serving demands.
“Supporting democracy is not about those in power, but about the right of the people to choose, question, and democratically engage their leaders.
“I am aware that the process of even choosing the right leaders by the people in Nigeria is flawed. Nevertheless, it does not in any way justify the call for military intervention in Nigeria,” he said.
Adeoye insisted that Nigeria cannot continue this way, stating that it must address the hydra-headed problems of food scarcity, insecurity, and leadership deficit.
According to him, “The best way to lay the foundation for resolution is for Nigeria to go back to the dream of the founding fathers, who opted for a country where each ethnic group would be able to develop on its own terms.
“The greatest pathway to this goal is to restructure Nigeria to stem the violent clashes of civilizations.”
Comrade Popoola Ajayi, General Secretary of AYDM, declared that the role of non-state actors is more critical now than ever before, emphasizing that the country must stand united “in our commitment to democratic principles, educational empowerment, and regional autonomy.”
According to him, “It is through our collective efforts that we can build a Nigeria where democracy is not just a word, but a lived reality for all.”
Comrade Kudu Abubakar, representing the Arewa Community, in his remarks, described democracy as a fraud being perpetrated by some people from the North and South for their own selfish interests. He declared that democracy as practiced by those in power has damaged the country.
Abubakar praised President Tinubu, then governor of Lagos State, for his achievements, which he said led to his and others’ support for his election into office. However, he declared that “this does not mean we should not point out where he has failed.”
He particularly decried the security situation in the country, recalling that this was not the situation when he was growing up, when the community was able to identify security threats and address them, though he stopped short of calling for the establishment of a State Police.
“Democracy has damaged everything in the country. While we were growing up, we were open to each other. We could easily identify strange people in our communities, but now insecurity is ravaging the land.
“Let us tell ourselves the truth. We fought for this democracy under the military, but how many of us who fought for democracy are enjoying it now? We love Tinubu, we fought for his victory, but we cannot reach him anymore,” he said.
Also speaking, Comrade Dare Adesope similarly decried the high level of insecurity in the South West region, noting that the Yoruba, who regard farming as their mainstay, cannot go to their farms as they would like due to the menace.
He urged political leaders in the country to work towards promoting good leadership for the betterment of Nigeria and her people.
