A former speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, has said the armed groups terrorising communities across the country neither respect nor represent any religion, describing them instead as criminals exploiting vulnerable targets.
Tambuwal said those behind the violence are waging war on citizens of all faiths, insisting that Nigeria’s worsening insecurity should not be framed as a religious conflict.
The former governor of Sokoto state described the situation as “very concerning and alarming”, warning political leaders at home and abroad against politicising the crisis. He made the remarks on Saturday while speaking to journalists in Sokoto, days after Nigeria was designated a Country of Particular Concern by US president Donald Trump.
The designation, Tambuwal said, was “quite unfortunate” and failed to capture the complexity of Nigeria’s security challenges.
“I would like to believe that President Trump and the American government did not fully grasp or appreciate the Nigerian situation,” he said. “What we are facing is not a religious crisis but a security crisis affecting Nigerians of all faiths and backgrounds.”
“These marauders do not represent any religion,” he added. “How else can one explain what they are doing in Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi and other states? They are common criminals, attacking every soul they come across. You can’t even go to the mosque or the church safely.”
Tambuwal aligned himself with the Vatican’s position on Nigeria, noting that the Pope had acknowledged that Christians and Muslims alike are victims of widespread insecurity.
He stressed that the crisis had become a national problem transcending politics, ethnicity and religion, and called for urgent collective action. He urged the United States and other global partners to reconsider their stance and instead support the administration of President Bola Tinubu in tackling the violence.
“It’s not about Bola Tinubu as a person. It’s not about the APC or party politics. It’s about our country,” Tambuwal said. “Any country – America, France, the UK, Canada – that can support Nigeria to overcome insecurity should please do so.”
Drawing on his experience as a former governor, Tambuwal recalled how all 36 state governors once rallied behind the late President Muhammadu Buhari to procure military assets, regardless of party affiliation. About $1bn, he said, was withdrawn from consolidated revenue funds to acquire Tucano aircraft to strengthen national security.
However, he claimed the jets could not be fully deployed because the United States did not supply all the necessary components. “The Nigerian air force did not receive the full complement of the Tucano assets, which limited their deployment,” he said.
Tambuwal urged Nigerian leaders at all levels to rise above political differences and work together to confront a crisis threatening lives and livelihoods across the country.
“This is a Nigerian problem that requires Nigerian solutions, supported by our friends globally,” he said.
I prefer this response
