Tinubu adviser Daniel Bwala defends his boss’s 2014 call for Jonathan’s resignation after the Chibok schoolgirls abduction.
Daniel Bwala, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s adviser on policy communication, has defended Tinubu’s 2014 call for then-President Goodluck Jonathan to resign following the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls.
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The Morning Brief on Wednesday, Bwala argued that Tinubu’s intervention was justified given the circumstances at the time.
The 2014 kidnapping of the Chibok girls, which drew global outrage, marked Nigeria’s first major mass abduction of schoolchildren.
Bwala said Jonathan’s administration lacked clarity on handling the crisis and remained in denial, prompting Tinubu to publicly urge resignation.
Bwala contrasted the situation under Jonathan with the current administration, noting that while attackers still strike, they do not establish territorial control as armed groups reportedly did in some local government areas during Jonathan’s tenure.
He emphasised that Tinubu’s government rejects negotiations with terrorist groups, citing the risk of indirectly funding terrorism and strengthening armed factions through ransom payments.
“During Jonathan’s tenure, there were instances where both state and federal authorities considered negotiation as a last resort to save lives. But Tinubu’s approach rejects this to prevent terrorists from gaining resources,” Bwala explained.
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The adviser argued that the complexity of Nigeria’s security challenges has historically pushed governments into difficult decisions, but the current administration prefers decisive action over negotiation.
