WHY SECURITY FORCES CAN’T STRIKE FIRST: PRESIDENCY REVEALS THE REAL REASON BEHIND “RESTRAINT” IN FIGHT AGAINST BANDITS

The Presidency has broken its silence amid mounting public outrage over the persistent inability of security agencies to launch decisive, preemptive strikes on bandit enclaves terrorising Northern Nigeria.

Speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Monday, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, offered a rare inside look into the constraints facing the nation’s security architecture.

Onanuga disclosed that intelligence services are not in the dark about the whereabouts of many armed groups. In fact, he said, security operatives “know the locations” of several bandit cells scattered across the region.
However, he insisted that the challenge is not intelligence—but the risk of catastrophic collateral damage.

According to him, most of the bandits have strategically embedded themselves inside rural communities, living side-by-side with innocent citizens who would be the first victims of any hasty military raid.

> “Security personnel must act carefully to avoid harming citizens,” he cautioned.
“Something happened in Borno last time when the military thought they had the location of terrorists, only to bomb the wrong people. That mistake remains a strong reminder that caution is necessary.”

Onanuga warned that Nigeria cannot afford a repeat of such tragedies, noting that the military’s rules of engagement require precision, patience, and verified intelligence before pulling the trigger.

Fresh Attacks Intensify Public Anger

His explanation came amid a troubling resurgence of violence across the North.
In Kwara State, armed men stormed Christ Apostolic Church, abducting 38 worshippers and killing several others during the assault. President Tinubu later confirmed that all the abducted victims had been rescued following a coordinated operation.

Similarly, in Niger State, more than 200 students were kidnapped from a Catholic private school in an attack that sent shockwaves across the country. At least 50 of the children managed to escape and rejoin their families, but the incident has deepened fears in local communities still struggling to recover from previous attacks.

Nation Demands Action

As pressure mounts, citizens are increasingly asking why security forces cannot simply “decimate” known criminal hubs.
The Presidency’s response paints a more complicated picture—one where the enemy is hiding in plain sight, blending into civilian spaces and using ordinary Nigerians as human shields.

For now, the government insists that operations will continue, but with heightened caution to prevent the tragic consequences of mistaken strikes.
With fear spreading and bandits growing bolder, the nation awaits not just explanations—but decisive, safe, and effective action.