Nigeria President Tinubu urged to overhaul security and federal structure

Former Kaduna State governor Dangiwa Umar sent an open letter to President Bola Tinubu praising the president’s recent recognition of the June 12, 1993 democracy heroes but warning that continued insecurity, poverty and a weakened judiciary threaten Nigeria’s democratic progress. Umar called for urgent action to improve security, reduce poverty and strengthen judicial independence.

Former Minister of Education Obiageli Ezekwesili also addressed an open letter to Tinubu, the National Assembly and state governors, arguing that creating a state police force will not resolve the country’s deep‑seated insecurity. Citing Afrobarometer data – 79 % of Nigerians view kidnapping as a serious problem, 33 % know someone kidnapped in the past five years, and 63 % felt unsafe at home – she warned that the crisis reflects a broader constitutional and governance failure. Ezekwesili urged a comprehensive restructuring of Nigeria’s federal system to rebalance power, resources and accountability, rather than treating the symptom of policing alone.