The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has said state governors should be held accountable for the rising cases of kidnapping across the country.
Bwala said every abduction recorded in any state should raise questions about the role of the governor, particularly as most of the incidents occur within local government areas.
He made the remarks during an interview on the Morayo Show, where he linked the growing insecurity at the grassroots to failures in local governance and the handling of funds meant for community development and safety.
Bwala said governors could not distance themselves from kidnappings happening within their states, insisting that they had a duty to ensure security at the local level.
“Every time someone is kidnapped or taken against their will in any part of Nigeria, the governor of that state should be held responsible. And I will say, and I want it to be the memorable word,” he said.
The Presidential aide added, “Every local government area, all the kidnappings have happened in local government areas.”
According to him, the persistence of abductions in local communities points to deeper questions about leadership, coordination and accountability at the state and local government levels.
Bwala also raised concerns over the implementation of the Safe School Initiative, a programme designed to improve security around schools.
He said funds had been released to states under the scheme to provide basic security infrastructure and preventive measures in schools.
“There was a program called the Safe School Initiative that began, and money was given to states to build fences around schools, set up early science warnings, and carry out all those safety checks,” Bwala said.
He then urged Nigerians to demand explanations from their state governments over how the funds were spent.
“Ask your governor where that money was spent,” he added.
Bwala maintained that while insecurity remains a national challenge, state governments must provide answers on what they are doing to protect citizens in communities under their watch.
