Francis Nwapa, human rights activist and National Secretary of Youth Right Campaign (YRC), has accused the Nigerian government of enabling the country’s worsening security crisis through complicity, negligence, and prioritising political interests over national safety.

In a statement on Tuesday, Nwapa claimed that the Tinubu administration has openly admitted negotiating with criminals and terrorists, describing the approach as evidence of “terrorists in leadership.” He warned that such practices risk making kidnapping a permanent enterprise in Nigeria.

“See beyond political affiliations, tribal and religious bias, then you will see that Nigeria is in deep trouble,” Nwapa said. He alleged that top security agencies, including the DSS, Nigeria Police Force, and the Nigerian Army, are aware of the criminals but are restrained by political protection.

He further criticised the government for prioritising political victory in 2027 over rooting out officials sympathetic to terrorist networks. “Whether you agree or not, the President is more concerned with securing political victory than addressing the sources of insecurity,” he said.

Nwapa highlighted recent kidnappings in Kwara State, including pregnant women and children, despite government claims of military deployment, stressing that negotiations with bandits only perpetuate the cycle of abductions.

He called for urgent national reforms and the arrest of those funding terrorism, warning that without decisive action, insecurity will worsen and spread across Nigeria.

The country continues to grapple with insurgency, banditry, and mass abductions, particularly in the North-West, North-Central, and North-East, sparking growing public criticism of federal security strategies.