Major Political Party Dares Tinubu, Defence Minister to Step Out Without Escorts

Major Political Party Dares Tinubu, Defence Minister to Step Out Without Escorts

  • APM challenged President Tinubu and Defence Minister Christopher Musa to drive on Nigerian roads without security escorts amid insecurity claims
  • The opposition party cited the 2026 Global Terrorism Index, which ranked Nigeria as the fourth most insecure country in the world
  • APM pointed to alleged figures showing over N7.78 billion paid in ransom between July 2025 and June 2026, referencing SBM Intelligence data

The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) has thrown down a direct challenge to President Bola Tinubu and Defence Minister Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), daring them to travel on Nigerian roads without armed security escorts if they genuinely believe the country's security situation has improved.

The challenge came in a statement signed by the party's National Publicity Secretary, Abubakar Yusuf, in which the APM accused the Tinubu administration of being out of touch with the daily dangers Nigerians face.

The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) challenged President Tinubu and Defence Minister Gen. Christopher Musa to travel on Nigerian roads without armed security.
The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) has urged President Bola Tinubu and Defence Minister Gen. Christopher Musa to travel Nigerian roads without armed escorts. Photo credit: @officialABAT
Source: Twitter

The party said the government's optimistic assessment of security conditions stands in sharp contrast to what ordinary citizens experience, Punch reported.

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APM cites global terrorism index

The party pointed to the 2026 Global Terrorism Index, which it said ranked Nigeria as the fourth most insecure country in the world, a significant deterioration from sixth place in the 2025 edition.

The APM said this directly contradicts claims by Musa that security conditions in the country have improved.

"The comments by the minister further expose the Tinubu administration's insensitivity to the plight of Nigerians, who bear the pain of the daily killings, maiming, r@pe, abduction for ransom, and incarceration by bandits in dehumanizing conditions in various parts of the nation," Yusuf said.

The party alleged that more than 600,000 Nigerians had been killed and at least 2.2 million others, including women and children, abducted since Tinubu assumed office, Vanguard reported.

The APM also drew attention to the reported abduction of about 600 people from the Dekera, Gidan-Zana and Sabon Gida villages in Niger State the previous week, saying most of those taken were women, children and elderly people who remain in captivity.

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Ransom payments and the 2027 warning

Citing figures from SBM Intelligence, the APM said kidnapping for ransom had grown into a highly monetised criminal enterprise, with more than N7.78 billion allegedly paid in ransom between July 2025 and June 2026.

The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) urges him and Defence Minister Musa to travel Nigerian roads without security escorts amidst rising insecurity.
APM claims Nigeria ranks fourth in the 2026 Global Terrorism Index, highlighting a sharp increase in insecurity. Photo credit: @HQNigerianArmy
Source: Twitter

The party also criticised what it described as the administration's attempt to minimise abductions by characterising the crime as a "family affair," calling the position "disheartening" while families across the country continue to grieve.

"Our party is disturbed that the administration is either dangerously disconnected from reality or is deliberately attempting to manipulate public perception by denying the actual situation in the country," Yusuf added.

Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, the APM warned that Nigeria could not afford another four years under what it described as an ineffective administration.

The party urged Nigerians to back its presidential candidate, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, who it said has a blueprint ready to address insecurity and other national challenges.

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Atiku dares Tinubu to open records

Previously, Legit.ng reported that the 2027 ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, fired back at political opponents he says are recycling allegations from the Obasanjo era because they can no longer defend the economic hardship Nigerians are living through under the current administration.

The Former Vice President said the sudden resurrection of old claims was not a show of strength but an admission that those in power have run out of answers on hunger, purchasing power and the cost of living.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Ezra Ukanwa avatar

Ezra Ukanwa (Politics and Current Affairs Editor) Ezra Ukanwa is a Reuters-certified journalist with over 5 years of professional experience. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communication from Anchor University, Lagos. Currently, he is the Politics and Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng. He previously worked as a senior correspondent at Vanguard Newspapers. Ezra was recognized as Best Campus Journalist at the Anchor University Communications Awards in 2019 and is also a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM). Contact him at: ezra.ukanwa@corp.legit.ng or +2349036989944