A former Minister of Youth and Sports Development and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Solomon Dalung, has dismissed recent praise by the United States for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s handling of security, insisting that the commendation does not reflect the realities of persistent violence across Nigeria.
Speaking during an interview with Trust TV on Thursday, Dalung alleged that the favourable assessment followed an intensive lobbying effort by the Nigerian government, although he did not provide evidence to support the claim.
According to him, the reported appraisal of Nigeria’s security situation is inconsistent with the conditions on the ground, particularly in northern states where killings, kidnappings and bandit attacks continue.
“To all intents and purposes, the report is just deceit because the obvious realities on the ground are different. The killings of people continue across the country, especially in the northern states. None of these states has seen the violence abate,” Dalung said.
The former minister also suggested that the United States’ position may have been influenced by its broader foreign policy priorities, arguing that Washington is preoccupied with other global conflicts.
“I think the Americans are trying to distract attention because they are fighting so many battles. They are in the Middle East, so they need to ease their participation in Nigeria and concentrate elsewhere,” he stated.
Dalung further maintained that foreign support had not translated into measurable gains in Nigeria’s fight against insecurity.
“Since the Americans came, the terrorists, bandits and kidnappers have continued attacking, killing and kidnapping with impunity. There is no single achievement they can point to,” he said.
Referencing the recent killings of farmers in Zamfara State, Dalung noted that the victims and the attackers were both Muslims, arguing that the violence cuts across religious lines.
He also accused Nigeria’s political elite of failing to confront the country’s security challenges adequately, alleging that the continued violence serves political interests ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“For me, it is a genocide against the poor and a conspiracy of the political class in order to promote their political ambitions in 2027,” he said.
Dalung’s remarks come amid ongoing debates over the state of security in Nigeria and the effectiveness of the Tinubu administration’s efforts to curb terrorism, banditry and kidnapping.
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