APC Youth Leader Rejects Soyinka’s Attack on Seyi Tinubu’s Security Detail
- APC Youth Leader Dayo Israel has faulted Prof. Wole Soyinka’s criticism of Seyi Tinubu’s security detail and said the remarks failed to capture Nigeria’s security realities
- Israel argued that Seyi Tinubu’s nationwide public engagements and philanthropic activities placed him in high-risk situations that justified enhanced protection
- Soyinka had earlier questioned the size of security attached to Seyi Tinubu, describing it as excessive during an event in Lagos
The National Youth Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Dayo Israel, has pushed back against the recent comments made by Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka regarding the security assigned to Seyi Tinubu.
Israel said the criticism ignored the realities of Nigeria’s security climate and the risks associated with public visibility.
Source: Twitter
Soyinka had questioned what he described as excessive armed protection around the president’s son. He recounted an incident in Ikoyi where he saw a large number of security operatives attached to Seyi Tinubu while visiting a hotel.
His remarks sparked conversations on social media and revived debates on the use of state resources for VIP protection.
APC youth leader defends Seyi Tinubu
Israel said Soyinka’s comments presented only a fragment of the issue. He argued that Seyi Tinubu’s public engagements across the country exposed him to elevated risk and placed him within the category of individuals who legitimately qualify for enhanced protection.
He added that the security granted to the president’s son was consistent with global practices.
According to Israel, Seyi’s work in philanthropy and youth programmes increased his visibility and had placed him in volatile environments where additional protection was necessary.
He pointed to Seyi’s role in the Noella Foundation, which has organised youth-focused projects, empowerment drives and educational support initiatives across multiple states.
Source: Getty Images
Rising threats linked to public activity
Israel said, “Seyi, at 40, is no sheltered child; his public engagements make him a target, not a bystander.”
He noted that the foundation’s outreach efforts, particularly in underserved communities, created genuine exposure to risk.
He added that public figures who interact frequently with large youth groups often face hostility from individuals who interpret social or political influence through adversarial lenses.
He referenced examples from other countries, noting that the adult children of presidents in the United States and other nations receive official protection for as long as their activities place them in harm’s way. Israel said this was not a matter of privilege but a recognition of assessed threats.
Context of Soyinka’s remarks
Soyinka’s comments were made while speaking at the 2025 Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting in Lagos. During the event, he criticised what he saw as unequal and misdirected deployment of security forces around the president’s family.
He also questioned Nigeria’s involvement in responding to an attempted coup in Benin Republic, telling the audience that the country had more urgent security needs at home.
Israel said Soyinka’s wider concerns about national security were valid but insisted that isolating Seyi Tinubu for criticism distorted the broader conversation. He urged Nigerians to focus on systemic improvements rather than personalising the debate.
Benin rebels attack Nigerian jet
Legit.ng earlier reported that a video emerged, reportedly showing Benin coupists attempting to down a Nigerian attack aircraft.
In the 10-second clip, what looked like a military aircraft could be seen in the sky.
Shots could be heard in the background, with the news outlet claiming Benin coupists had attempted to hit a Nigerian Air Force jet
Source: Legit.ng
