A Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Chairman of Eagle FM, Asiwaju Kunle Kalejaye, has called on President Bola Tinubu to declare a national emergency on banditry, kidnapping and terrorism across the country, warning that the worsening security situation poses a grave threat to Nigeria’s stability.
Kalejaye made the call in his Democracy Day message on Friday, joining other Nigerians advocating stronger measures to tackle insecurity.
The legal luminary described the persistent wave of terror as a national embarrassment to both the government and the people of Nigeria, noting that it has also dented the country’s image in the international community.
He urged the Tinubu administration to adopt more decisive and far-reaching measures to halt the escalating security crisis before it undermines the nation’s security architecture.
According to him, failure to act swiftly could further erode public confidence in the country’s security institutions, particularly the military.
Kalejaye expressed concern that the Nigerian Army risks being perceived as incapable of effectively defending the nation against criminal elements if the current trend continues.
He noted that public trust in the military had already been affected by the activities of bandits, kidnappers and other criminal groups who increasingly disguise themselves in military uniforms while carrying out attacks.
The senior lawyer warned that unless urgent measures are taken to reverse the trend, the prestige and integrity traditionally associated with the armed forces could continue to diminish.
While acknowledging efforts by the government to address insecurity, Kalejaye maintained that such measures might not achieve the desired results without a clear national declaration demonstrating the country’s resolve to defeat terrorism.
He said, “A declaration of national emergency on terror would send a strong message that the nation unequivocally rejects violence and is prepared to deploy all available resources to defeat it.”
Kalejaye also urged the Federal Government to formulate and implement concrete strategies aimed at crushing terrorist activities, warning that criminal groups had become increasingly audacious.
He observed that their operations were no longer restricted to remote communities but had extended to major towns and cities.
According to him, celebrating democracy amid rising insecurity diminishes the essence of democratic governance and projects a negative image of the country.
“The protection of lives and property remains one of the foremost constitutional responsibilities of any government,” he said.
He added that effective security management requires proactive measures rather than reactive responses.
According to him, this includes identifying threats to national security early and neutralising them before they become too powerful to contain.
Kalejaye reiterated his appeal to the President to immediately declare a national emergency on terrorism and related crimes, insisting that such a move would demonstrate Nigeria’s total rejection of terrorism and its determination to eradicate it.
“It is left to President Tinubu to save our nation at this perilous time,” Kalejaye stated.
