President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has defended his principal’s 2014 demand for the resignation of former President Goodluck Jonathan following the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, Bwala said Tinubu’s call was “legitimate” due to the gravity of the tragedy and what he described as the Jonathan administration’s early denial of the kidnapping.
“In the days of Jonathan, they didn’t have an idea of the solution. Why did I say that? They were in denial about the Chibok girls’ kidnapping. When President Tinubu, then Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, called for Jonathan’s resignation, it was a legitimate call,” Bwala stated.
The Chibok abduction in 2014 sparked global outrage and became one of the most defining symbols of Nigeria’s security struggles. With fresh waves of mass kidnappings under the current administration, critics have pointed to Tinubu’s past stance — a comparison Bwala pushed back against.
According to the presidential aide, insecurity during Jonathan’s era was far more severe, claiming terrorists had seized territories, hoisted flags, and even collected taxes from residents in some communities.
Bwala also defended Tinubu’s zero-tolerance policy on negotiating with kidnappers, contrasting it with what he described as previous administrations’ willingness to engage in talks.
“There was a time the federal government was negotiating, and I think former Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai, once talked about a national policy at that time where both states and the federal government negotiated,” he said.
He argued that ransom payments only strengthen criminal organisations.
“You are constructively financing terrorism without knowing it. They use ransom money to buy more weapons,” he warned.
Bwala maintained that the Tinubu administration remains focused on dismantling the financial and operational networks of terrorist groups rather than entering negotiations.
“This administration does not tolerate the idea of negotiation,” he stressed.
The comments come as Nigerians continue to raise concerns about rising insecurity and the government’s strategy for tackling mass abductions across the country.
Comments