Bandits whereabouts known, attack risky – Presidential aide, Bayo Onanuga says
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, has defended the federal government’s response to the wave of insecurity troubling northern Nigeria.
Speaking on ARISE News’ Prime Time on Monday, Nov. 24, he said security agencies already know the identities and hideouts of the bandit groups behind recent mass abductions — including the attack on St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State.
According to Onanuga, the challenge isn’t lack of intelligence but the operational risks involved. He explained that many of the bandits operate from enclaves where abducted civilians are used as human shields, making direct airstrikes dangerous. Past military errors in Borno, where civilians were accidentally hit, have also made security forces more cautious.
He added that the authorities are still struggling to confirm the exact number of victims in the school attack, noting that “even the list of missing students” has yet to be established. The disappearance of the school principal, he said, has further complicated rescue efforts.
Onanuga also highlighted new measures the government is taking to strengthen security. One step, he said, is redeploying thousands of police officers currently assigned to VIP protection to more vulnerable regions.
“I read today about 100,000 policemen guarding VIPs. If you share them out to vulnerable areas, that will make a lot of difference,” he noted.
