Insecurity: Orji tells Tinubu to seek help, consult ex-IGP Abubakar, other security experts
The Executive Director of Igbo Ndi Oma Africa TV, Prince Obinna Orji, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal Government to broaden their security consultations and seek the expertise of retired security professionals in the ongoing battle against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes.
Orji, who spoke with journalists, expressed concern over the worsening security situation in parts of the country, particularly the North, warning that the continued attacks and killings had created an atmosphere in which Nigerians were increasingly living in fear.
He said the scale and sophistication of criminal activities required the government to deploy every available professional resource, including the experience of former police chiefs and other retired security officers.
Prince Orji specifically called on President Tinubu to invite former Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Dikko Abubakar, for consultations on strategies to address the country’s security challenges.
He described Abubakar as a highly experienced police officer whose long years of service and operational exposure could provide useful perspectives to the government’s ongoing efforts to restore security.
Abubakar served as Nigeria’s 16th Inspector-General of Police between 2012 and 2014. Before his elevation to the highest police office, he held several senior positions, including Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 12, Bauchi; Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Federal Operations; and Deputy Commissioner of Police in Lagos. Contemporary reports also described him as an operations-minded officer with experience in criminal investigation and airport policing.
His appointment as IGP came at a particularly difficult period for the Nigeria Police Force. Upon assuming office, Abubakar pledged to intensify the fight against crime and criminality and promised greater efficiency and effectiveness in police operations. His appointment was subsequently confirmed by the Police Council in July 2012.
Orji said the experience of former security chiefs should not be treated as irrelevant simply because they were no longer in active service.
According to him, retired professionals possess institutional memory and practical knowledge that could complement the efforts of serving security chiefs.
“The government should not be ashamed to seek help where necessary. Nobody has all the answers. If there are Nigerians who have acquired decades of experience in dealing with crime and insecurity, government should engage them,” Orji said.
He argued that the deteriorating security situation required a non-partisan and coordinated approach, stressing that the protection of lives and property should take precedence over political considerations.
“Security must remain the foundation of every meaningful development. Investments, economic reforms and other government programmes cannot achieve their full potential if Nigerians are afraid to travel, work, sleep or conduct their legitimate businesses,” he said.
Orji further urged the Federal Government to strengthen intelligence gathering, improve information sharing among security agencies and place greater emphasis on preventing attacks rather than responding after lives and property had been lost.
He also called for wider consultations involving former inspectors-general of police, retired military and intelligence officers, community leaders and other professionals with proven experience in security management.
The Executive Director maintained that consulting retired officers would not amount to undermining the authority of serving security chiefs, but would demonstrate a willingness by the government to use every available expertise in protecting Nigerians.
“The time has come to put politics aside and bring everybody with something meaningful to offer to the table.
“Nigerians want to live, work and sleep without fear. That should be the priority,” he said.
Orji’s call comes amid persistent security challenges across several parts of Nigeria, with communities continuing to demand stronger intelligence-led operations, faster security responses and better coordination among government agencies.
He urged the Tinubu administration to treat the security crisis as an emergency requiring sustained attention, saying the government must restore public confidence by making the safety of citizens a central priority of its governance agenda.
