By Peter Omopo
Veteran investigative journalist, , has called on President to step up efforts to address the nation’s security challenges, stressing that more must be done to curb kidnappings and dismantle the networks sustaining terrorism and banditry across the country.
Kolade-Otitoju made the remarks during an appearance on the Democracy Day edition of Journalists’ Hangout on TVC News, where he assessed the state of security in Nigeria.
While acknowledging the successes recorded by security agencies in ongoing operations against bandits and terrorists, he maintained that the persistence of mass abductions, particularly of schoolchildren, continues to undermine public confidence in government efforts.
According to him, many Nigerians are unlikely to view security interventions as successful as long as incidents involving the kidnapping of students and other vulnerable groups remain frequent.
The veteran journalist noted that although security forces have eliminated numerous bandits in various operations, the continuous influx of criminal elements from neighbouring countries poses a significant challenge to sustaining those gains.
He argued that the government must not only focus on neutralising criminals but also address the sources of recruitment and infiltration that replenish the ranks of terrorist and bandit groups.
Kolade-Otitoju described the abduction of schoolchildren as one of the most troubling indicators of insecurity, insisting that ending such incidents should remain a top priority for the government.
He further urged authorities to strengthen border security, improve surveillance of forested areas, and disrupt recruitment channels used by criminal organisations. According to him, military operations alone will not deliver lasting peace if the factors enabling the growth of armed groups are not addressed.
Despite his concerns, Kolade-Otitoju expressed optimism that Nigeria’s security situation could improve in the coming years. He pointed to growing security cooperation between Nigeria and international partners, including France, the United States and Turkey, as a positive development.
He added that enhanced intelligence gathering, stronger border controls, improved forest policing and sustained international collaboration would be critical to overcoming the country’s security challenges and restoring public confidence in the nation’s security architecture.
