Youth Groups Demand Defence Minister's Resignation Over Escalating Insecurity

The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), North-West Zone, and Arewa Youths Movement, staged a protest at the main entrance of the National Assembly in Abuja, decrying the deepening insecurity in the country, especially in northern Nigeria.

These groups explicitly called for the immediate resignation of the Minister of Defence, Muhammadu Badaru, holding him accountable for the deteriorating security situation.

Carrying placards bearing strong messages such as “Badaru please retire,” “We demand improved security; Badaru must go,” and “Security is at its worst under Badaru!”, the protesters voiced their dissatisfaction.

Nasir Ishaku, the secretary of Arewa Movement leading the demonstrators, urged President Bola Tinubu to rouse Badaru from his inaction or compel his honorable resignation due to the worsening security under his tenure.

Addressing journalists, Ishaku emphasized, “Nigeria is suffering; lives are being lost daily. Badaru's lackluster performance at the Ministry of Defence, a critical and strategic portfolio, has allowed the security situation to spiral out of control.”

The groups emphasized their concern over the continuous terrorist attacks in communities, resulting in loss of lives and the abduction of university students, accentuating the minister's incompetence in handling the sensitive ministry.

In conclusion, Ishaku stated, “We are compelled to express our grievances because Nigeria's security fabric is disintegrating, particularly in Northern Nigeria, and it's time for a change at the helm of the Ministry of Defence."