Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, former Senior Adviser to President Bola Tinubu, has sharply criticized the Nigerian government’s handling of national security, saying years of poor leadership are at the root of the country’s escalating insecurity.

Speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Friday, Baba-Ahmed argued that President Tinubu, like his predecessors, has failed to provide decisive leadership to tackle Nigeria’s complex security challenges.

“Everything that happens to this country, you can visit it on the doorstep of our leadership. This is a country of great people, policed poorly by bad and indifferent leaders. President Tinubu has failed us,” he said.

Baba-Ahmed noted that the nature of threats in Nigeria has evolved significantly since the Boko Haram insurgency began in 2009. The emergence of new security challenges has made the situation more complex, yet successive governments have not responded effectively.

He warned that while the United States may be losing patience with Nigeria and threatening intervention, foreign pressure will not solve the country’s problems. According to him, only accountable and decisive leadership at home can restore stability.

“The last thing we need is an America breathing down our neck and making Nigeria weak because we failed to act ourselves. America will not fix Nigeria,” Baba-Ahmed stressed.

He concluded that Nigeria’s strategic position in West Africa and the Sahel makes strong governance essential, not just for domestic security but also for regional stability.