Akinyemi Accuses States of Enabling Terrorism, Calls for Drastic Measures

Professor Bolaji akinyemi, a respected elder statesman and former Foreign Affairs Minister, has accused some state governments of inadvertently helping terrorist groups. He says they’re doing this by negotiating with armed groups and not taking strong enough action against them.

During an interview on ARISE News on Wednesday,Akinyemi called for significant changes to Nigeria’s security approach. He proposed large-scale military recruitment, a nationwide state of emergency, military tribunals, and even suspending constitutional immunity for governors.

He strongly supports expanding the Nigerian armed forces. Current troop numbers, he believes, are simply too low to effectively combat the widespread insecurity. “I agree with the need for large-scale recruitment to expand the Nigerian armed forces. The soldiers that are there now,they are overstretched… So we need to address these shortcomings,” he explained. He also thinks recently retired military personnel should be brought back into service. “I also agree that those who have retired under the Armed Forces Act in the last six months should be recalled.”

Akinyemi explained that a state of emergency and military tribunals are needed to prevent foreign intervention and respond decisively to terrorism.”Let me say that I am motivated to make these suggestions in order to head off any practical moves by Trump… we are not just talking,” he stated. He added, “That’s why I said we should have state of emergency. As I am quite aware that we cannot have a military tribunal if we are having a democracy.”

He warned that terrorists are spreading rapidly. “These terrorists are running amok… they are in the northwest, they are in the middle belt… When do you then want to come to a conclusion that actually they have overrun the whole of the country?”

Emergency powers, he argues, would give the government the versatility it needs to act quickly. “And with a state of emergency, it allows the government to do things which it cannot do when you are stuck in the national assembly… You have a military tribunal which allows you to deal with the situation in a way expeditiously.”

Akinyemi also believes many of the fighters are not Nigerian citizens. “It also allows you to actually deport them from Nigeria. As these are not Nigerians, and you know it and we certainly know it.” He defended his proposals, pointing out that similar measures are used in other democracies. “These propositions…”