The Nigerian Presidency has sharply criticized former President Olusegun Obasanjo, labeling his recent comments on national security as hypocritical and "pseudo statesmanship." Obasanjo suggested that President Bola Tinubu seek foreign assistance if unable to address escalating security threats, even proposing that Nigeria subcontract its internal security to foreign governments. This recommendation was met with strong condemnation from Mr. Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, who reminded the public that terrorism took root during Obasanjo's tenure, making him ill-positioned to critique current efforts.

Dare, via his verified X account, dismissed Obasanjo’s proposal as "capitulation, not statesmanship," emphasizing that before suggesting such measures, Obasanjo should reflect on his own administration’s perceived failure to act decisively when terrorist groups began to emerge. The Presidency emphasized it would resist "selective amnesia wrapped in elder-statesmanship," rejecting attempts to distort history regarding Nigeria's early security lapses.

The government further described criticisms from former leaders and "habitual presidential aspirants" as ignoble, asserting that they conveniently overlook the complexity of Nigeria's current security landscape, which faces a multi-layered, fast-evolving, and transnational terrorist threat. Dare specifically noted that Boko Haram’s earliest camps and ideological foundations were incubated during Obasanjo's civilian presidency, allowing the group to escalate from a fringe sect to a regional insurgency connected to global jihadist networks.

Dare detailed Nigeria’s current security landscape, describing a diverse terrorist ecosystem, including internationally designated groups, ISIS- and al-Qaeda-linked networks in the Sahel, local violent extremists disguised as bandits, cross-border cells exploiting porous frontiers, and hybrid criminal-terror groups operating in ungoverned areas. He affirmed that President Tinubu’s administration has deployed a coordinated, multidimensional strategy to counter this evolving threat.

This strategy incorporates both kinetic and non-kinetic measures. Kinetic efforts focus on upgraded military capabilities, intelligence-led operations, disruption of terrorist logistics, and retaking contested territories. Non-kinetic components include restoring governance in underserved areas, implementing economic stabilization programs, advancing counter-radicalization, and fostering community trust to deprive terrorists of local support. Dare stressed that Tinubu’s "whole-of-government, whole-of-nation" approach is essential, asserting that "terrorists thrive in division; Nigeria defeats them through unity."

While acknowledging cooperation with international partners, including the United States, Dare firmly rejected the notion of outsourcing Nigeria’s sovereignty or "raising a white flag," warning that disparaging comments from former leaders could embolden extremists. He urged Obasanjo to offer constructive support rather than soundbites, leveraging his influence to assist Nigeria rather than undermine the administration’s ongoing efforts in economic recovery, security, and infrastructure development.

The Presidency concluded by reaffirming President Tinubu’s unwavering commitment to securing every part of the country through strength, unity, and a coordinated, whole-of-government approach, emphasizing that the administration will continue to defeat terrorism and safeguard the nation.