Former Rivers State governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has raised fresh concerns over Nigeria’s worsening security situation, describing developments in parts of the country as reminiscent of a civil war.
Amaechi made the remarks on Tuesday while speaking at the national convention of the African Democratic Congress in Abuja, where he criticised the handling of security challenges under President Bola Tinubu.
“I watched yesterday in Nasarawa, people were running away from their community like a civil war. The civil war image came back to my head,” he said.
Reflecting on his time as governor, Amaechi stressed the need for decisive leadership in addressing crime and insecurity.
“When I was governor of Rivers State, you couldn’t commit a crime, and I would sleep.
”I wouldn’t sleep until you were arrested. All of us would stay awake until the person was caught,” he added.
Amaechi faulted what he described as the Federal Government’s distant response to insecurity, insisting that leaders must take charge directly during crises.
“Your citizens are trekking from one place to another like a civil war, and you are doing nothing.
”A leader must be in front during crises. If you don’t want to be in front, then step aside and allow another person to lead,” he said.
He also criticised recent economic policies, warning that they could worsen hardship across the country.
“The taxes they’ve imposed, wait until June when they start collecting annual company taxes.
”Nobody will be able to buy petrol; nobody will be able to feed. Let me repeat, if Nigerians are not hungry, I am hungry. The situation is bad; it is terrible,” he stated.
“How can a man who said he is a democrat be stopping democracy?
”These people don’t care. What they care about is money,” Amaechi said, adding, “They are using the institutions of government against the people of Nigeria… Are the poor breathing?”
Amaechi’s comments come amid renewed security concerns across the country.
In Nasarawa State, residents have reportedly been fleeing their communities on foot following repeated armed bandit attacks, abandoning homes and livelihoods in search of safety.
In the North-East, a recent airstrike at Jilli Market along the Yobe–Borno border has drawn scrutiny over alleged civilian casualties.
The Nigerian Air Force said the operation targeted suspected Boko Haram insurgents and confirmed that investigations are ongoing.
The development followed a deadly attack on a military formation in Benisheikh, where troops reportedly repelled insurgents but recorded casualties.
Despite these concerns, President Tinubu, during a recent visit to Bayelsa State, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening the country’s security architecture and addressing ongoing challenges.
