“INSECURITY DID NOT START UNDER TINUBU”: DOGARA DEFENDS PRESIDENT,

Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has said Nigeria’s security challenges predate the administration of President Bola Tinubu, noting that terrorism, insurgency and banditry had been entrenched in the country before 2023 when Tinubu assumed office.

The Tinubu defence was delivered at the 16th convocation ceremony of Achievers University, Owo, Ondo State, where 836 graduands received various academic qualifications, ValidViewNetwork reports.

THE CONTEXT

Dogara, who is the Chancellor of the university, said the country’s security problems were rooted in years of porous borders, illegal arms proliferation, youth unemployment and the spread of extremist ideologies.

“Insecurity in Nigeria did not begin with this administration. This is no excuse, because the facts need no defence. Terrorism, insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and communal violence did not arrive in 2023,” he said .

He added that the challenges had developed over several years, stressing that their roots went deep before Tinubu assumed office in May 2023.

He, however, noted that Tinubu had consistently identified national security as a major responsibility of his administration.

THE GRADUATES

Dogara congratulated the graduands, saying the country needed their talents, creativity and innovation.

In his address, the Pro-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Bode Ayorinde, said Nigeria had made significant progress in expanding access to tertiary education but expressed concern about the prospects of graduates after leaving school.

He cited figures from the National Universities Commission, which put the number of universities in the country at 312 as of June 2026, comprising 77 federal, 67 state-owned and 168 private institutions.

He said the institutions represented a huge investment in human capital, with parents, governments and lecturers making sacrifices to produce skilled professionals, but questioned what opportunities awaited graduates after completing their studies.

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The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Omolola Irinoye, said the university had remained committed to providing quality education that combines intellectual development, practical skills, character building and social responsibility since its establishment.

WHY IT MATTERS

Dogara’s intervention is a significant political statement. As a former Speaker and a prominent northern politician, his decision to defend Tinubu on insecurity provides the President with cover from critics who blame his administration for the worsening security situation.

By tracing the roots of the crisis to decades of policy failures, Dogara is arguing that Tinubu inherited a problem, not created one.

But his acknowledgment that “this is no excuse” is equally important. It suggests that while the President may not be responsible for the origins of the crisis, he is still responsible for addressing it.

For Nigerians, the question is not who started the fire. It is who will put it out. ValidViewNetwork reports.