National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, has said the current administration led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu inherited an extremely bad government, especially in the area of security.
Ribadu made this known on Tuesday during a condolence visit to Benue State, where he sympathized with the government and people over the killing of more than 72 residents by suspected terrorists posing as herdsmen.
While condemning the killings, the NSA appealed to the people of Benue not to politicize the attacks but rather support the federal government’s ongoing efforts to restore peace in the region.
“Our Armed Forces are doing well. It is impossible to post soldiers or police to every hamlet. Give us a chance and stop politicizing the killings. This will help us to restore peace. Issue of security is relative,” he said.
Ribadu admitted that though the situation remains difficult, the Tinubu administration has made progress and is determined to tackle the current wave of violence.
“We inherited an extremely bad government, and things have improved. We will address all these issues cropping up. It is a matter of time, to do the harm is easy but to solve it is difficult. We have reduced considerably the number of violence we met. This one too, we will confront it,” he added.
In response, Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, described the current state of insecurity as a sobering period for the people of the state, noting that Benue has suffered severe and persistent attacks since 2011, leading to countless deaths.
The visit comes amid a fresh wave of violence in Benue and Plateau states.
Just days after over 50 farmers were reportedly killed in parts of Benue, gunmen launched another attack in Afia community, Ukum Local Government Area, in the early hours of Tuesday, killing eleven residents and injuring several others.
