George to Adeboye: Take Security Advice to Tinubu
Chief Olabode George, former deputy national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party and a retired general, has advised Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, to direct his counsel on ending terrorism straight to President Bola Tinubu, the Commander in Chief, rather than to the service chiefs.
George described it as wrong for the respected cleric to advise the service chiefs to end insecurity within 90 days or resign. He maintained that the responsibility rests with Tinubu, who appointed the service chiefs and holds the power to set timelines or make changes if needed.
Pastor Adeboye had made the call in a video posted on his X account earlier in the week. He urged the federal government to impose a 90 day ultimatum on security chiefs to eliminate terrorists or step down, citing concern over the worsening security situation.
Reacting, George used a newspaper analogy to explain his position. He said it is like someone from outside the newsroom advising line editors to deliver exclusive front page stories within 90 days or resign. That task, he noted, belongs to the daily editor. If stories are lacking and the editor fails to coordinate the team effectively, it is the editor who faces consequences.
He pointed out that Tinubu appointed the service chiefs. If they are underperforming, the president has the authority to issue ultimatums or replace them. The president should therefore be held accountable for results in the fight against terrorism.
Speaking as a combatant and retired general, George said the current approach makes no sense and amounts to arrant nonsense and absolute lunacy. He described the elimination of blood thirsty maniacs who abduct and kill citizens across all regions as the most important issue facing the country today. How the commander in chief directs the service chiefs on strategy is his responsibility alone.
George observed that political leadership has pushed security concerns to the background while focusing on primaries and politics. He asked what would happen in 2027 if the country remains on fire and citizens cannot vote safely. He cited specific cases, including the broad daylight abduction of Chief Adebayo Adelabu sister and her twin sons in the heart of Ibadan, the recent abduction of a former army spokesman and his wife, and the continued captivity of students, pupils and teachers in forests.
He expressed embarrassment as a retired general and questioned whether Nigeria would still exist as a functional nation by 2027.
To move forward, George advised President Tinubu to convene a meeting of retired security chiefs and intelligence experts, with serving service chiefs and top officers also attending. He expressed confidence that with improved intelligence gathering mechanisms and the right weapons and equipment, the threats could be addressed within 60 days.
He called for a maximum review of Nigeria security architecture, intelligence gathering, stronger inter agency cooperation, operational effectiveness and greater accountability in the fight against terrorism, banditry and violent crimes. All patriotic Nigerians and opinion leaders, he said, must support this wake up call. Tinubu must listen to the urgent appeals from citizens, he added, noting that enough rhetoric has been heard from those in government.
The growing concern that not enough has been done to secure Nigerians is a reality that cannot be ignored, George stated. Prolonged captivity of innocent people diminishes the nation as a whole. For millions of citizens, every day brings anxiety, worry, fear, uncertainty and emotional trauma. With banditry spreading, Nigerians want decisive action from those in authority.
He reminded that the constitution places the primary responsibility for the security of lives and property on the government. As a retired general, he asserted that non state actors cannot be more powerful than the state. When blood thirsty lunatics abduct any Nigerian, the government response must be vicious, quick, swift, decisive, brutal, ruthless and incontrovertible. If that is the only language they understand, then that is what must be applied.
George clarified that he speaks not as a typical politician but as a father, grandfather, husband and responsible family man. His approach is humanitarian, compassionate and welfarist. The lives of victims and their families matter, as do the lives of security agents and every average Nigerian. Nigeria is not the only country in the world, he said, and it is time to end this embarrassment.
He added that anyone supporting or financing terrorism should face decisive consequences within the law.
This intervention comes against a backdrop of persistent security challenges documented in public data. Conflict monitoring shows continued incidents of abduction and violence spanning regions, with recent examples including the June 3 abduction in Ibadan of Mrs Olaide Busayo Adegoke John Paul and her 12 year old twin sons while heading to school, and the late May abduction of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar and his wife in Katsina. Broader trends from sources such as the Global Terrorism Index 2026 indicate a 46 per cent increase in terrorism related fatalities in Nigeria in 2025, reaching 750, driven largely by groups including ISWAP and Boko Haram. Other trackers record surges in banditry linked fatalities and large scale kidnappings in 2025 and into 2026 across multiple states.
Calls for a comprehensive review of security structures, intelligence sharing and inter agency coordination have also come from various quarters in recent months. George proposal for a high level meeting involving retired and serving experts aligns with these discussions on strengthening operational capacity and accountability.