Onanuga Accuses Media of Exaggerating Nigeria’s Security Challenges
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has alleged that sections of the Nigerian media are creating a misleading impression that insecurity has taken over the country.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television on Tuesday, Onanuga acknowledged that Nigeria faces security challenges but argued that media coverage often presents the situation as though the entire nation is unsafe.
According to him, many Nigerians continue to travel across the country without experiencing attacks, stressing that isolated security incidents should not be interpreted as evidence that the country is under siege.
He also noted that several kidnapping and attack cases occur at night, reminding the public that security agencies have long advised against travelling after dark. Onanuga said he often notices that many reported incidents take place between 8 p.m. and the early hours of the morning.
The presidential aide further cited the experience of a government official who recently completed a lengthy road journey without incident, saying such examples contradict claims that movement across Nigeria has become impossible.
Addressing statistics presented during the programme by Beacon Security and Intelligence Limited and the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), which indicated a 4.6 per cent increase in terror-related deaths between 2015 and 2025, Onanuga defended the Federal Government’s position.
The independent data challenged President Bola Tinubu’s recent assertion that insecurity-related fatalities had dropped by 81 per cent. However, Onanuga maintained that the Presidency relies on figures supplied by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
He questioned the credibility of alternative datasets and insisted that government statistics should not be dismissed simply because they differ from those compiled by independent organisations.
While acknowledging that other organisations may produce different figures, Onanuga argued that the data provided by the Office of the National Security Adviser remains the official basis for the Federal Government’s assessment of the country’s security situation.
