Tinubu Under Fire as Brigadier General Musa Uba and Soldiers Receive No Ceremony While Gumi, Protected by the State, Advocates Leniency for Terrorists

The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu faces a painful crisis of priorities in Nigeria following the killing of Brigadier General Musa Uba and several soldiers in Borno. The ambush, which occurred during clearance operations in the North-East, has triggered widespread public outcry. Many Nigerians are angered by what they see as the government’s muted response, especially when contrasted with the visibility and protection afforded to the controversial cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, known for defending terrorists. Despite federal claims that the region is “largely degraded,” insurgents continue to exploit ungoverned forest corridors, making military operations increasingly dangerous.

President Tinubu described himself as “heartbroken” by the incessant abductions and “depressed” by the tragic deaths of active-duty soldiers and officers. He has directed security agencies to tackle the recent uptick in violent extremism with urgency and decisive action. Tinubu received briefings from the NSA, service chiefs, and intelligence agencies, who warned that the recent attacks were coordinated efforts by armed groups to regain territorial influence. While these assurances have been made publicly, they have done little to ease the frustration and grief of military families.

One military wife lamented that the “whole nation is quiet like nothing happened” and criticised the government’s silence, recalling that in earlier years “, 10,000 men go bury that soldier.” She declared that a “bandit’s life is more important than a soldier’s life,” highlighting the absence of protection, vengeance, or any form of justice for fallen troops. Bitterly, she suggested that the national flag could be kept at “perpetual half-mast” in cases of middle-grade officers, given the scale of losses and the lack of publicised honours.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Gumi continues to attract national attention and controversy. Spotted with a police escort during an event in Oyo State, he reiterated his long-held defence of armed herdsmen, claiming that they are different from groups like IPOB and arguing that terrorists “need the money they’re getting from kidnapping” to fund their “war machines.” He urged Nigerians to “exercise patience” even amid mass abductions. Authorities have not explained why Gumi has not been questioned for his contacts with terrorists, and he continues to receive official security protection, deepening outrage among citizens.

READ MORE: Burkina Faso Approves Nuclear Cooperation Agreement with Russia

The state-sanctioned protection of a cleric advocating leniency toward terrorists has intensified public frustration in a country where bandits, insurgents, and terrorists are responsible for widespread sexual violence. In the North-West, North-Central, and North-East, women and girls are abducted, forced into sexual slavery or marriage, and in some cases kidnapped for sexual gratification rather than ransom. In states such as Niger, Kogi, and Kwara, victims have documented rape and severe injuries. In parts of Zamfara, desperate parents have arranged marriages for their daughters as a means of escape from repeated sexual violence. Security forces have struggled to penetrate forest enclaves where many victims are held due to rugged terrain and the absence of aerial night-raid capability.

The tension escalated when kidnappers demanded ₦3.8 billion for the release of worshippers in Kwara, raising uncomfortable questions about quiet ransom negotiations despite official claims that “the government does not pay ransom or negotiate with criminal groups.” Whether paid by families, communities, or intermediaries, ransom payments effectively sustain and embolden armed groups. The Inspector-General of Police admitted that officials “didn’t arrest the bandits because they came out voluntarily for the peace talk.” While some successful rescues have occurred, including 38 worshippers from Eruku and 51 students in Niger, many abductees remain in captivity, suggesting informal negotiations may still be central to the government’s crisis-management strategy.

At the same time, Vice President Kashim Shettima, during the 2023 campaign, promised to personally “lead the troops to battle across the length and breadth of this country,” while Tinubu focused on the economy. Yet, insecurity dominates the current administration, with Shettima’s state among the most affected. The situation recalls Tinubu’s own past criticisms of previous governments, including his 2014 call for former President Jonathan’s resignation “while schoolgirls are kidnapped and violence spreads nationwide.” Tinubu now faces scrutiny under the same standard he once used to measure others.

President Tinubu has drawn backlash but insists he will “not relent,” having called off his G20 trip to coordinate security efforts at home. He highlighted successful rescues and directed the establishment of a unified framework for abduction response under the Office of the NSA. Still, Nigerians continue to question the capacity and sincerity of the administration in addressing mass violence, sexual terror, the resurgence of armed networks, and the growing impunity of groups that appear strengthened by negotiations, protected intermediaries, and a nation increasingly quieter in its grief.

About The Author

West Africa Weekly

author

See author's posts