Sixteen months into his administration, President Bola Tinubu says he inherited a country with damaged security from his predecessor, former President Muhammadu Buhari.

In his Independence Day speech, Mr Tinubu said he took over the leadership of Africa’s most populous country at a “critical juncture.”

“My administration took over the leadership of our country 16 months ago at a critical juncture. The economy faced many headwinds, and our physical security was highly impaired,” Mr Tinubu said.

The president also said Nigeria was imbalanced when he assumed office on May 29, 2023. However, his government decided to pursue reforms in both Nigeria’s economy and its security.

“We found ourselves at a dizzying crossroads, where we must choose between two paths: reform for progress and prosperity or carry on business-as-usual and collapse. We decided to reform our political economy and defence architecture.”

In the sixteen months since Mr Tinubu took office, bandits and Boko Haram terrorists have continued their nefarious activities in the northern part of Nigeria, kidnapping for ransom and killing.

Spiking food prices caused by economic inflation have forced Nigerians to hit the streets in protest as the unprecedented cost-of-living crisis takes a dreadful trajectory under Mr Tinubu’s watch.