Bola Tinubu on Thursday said Nigerians outraged by widespread chaos should not disparage security forces. Mr Tinubu’s comments came two days after his wife Senator Remi Tinubu attacked Senator Smart Adeyemi for criticising uncurbed killings, maimings and destruction of assets across the country.

Mr Adeyemi had decried the inability of President Muhammadu Buhari to rein in the crisis, saying the administration should not be too reluctant to seek outside help in addressing the existential challenges.

Mrs Tinubu, who was sitting beside Mr Adeyemi during Tuesday’s plenary, fired back at his colleague, saying his complaints sounded like what opposition politicians or other critics would say.

Mrs Tinubu faced widespread condemnation for her comment, with many describing it as insensitive and a furtherance of her husband’s political strategy to keep quiet amidst raging chaos with the hope that he would get the ruling party’s presidential ticket and succeed Mr Buhari in 2023.

In a thread of tweets on Thursday evening, Mr Tinubu himself weighed in on the matter, saying he was also angered and troubled by ongoing security challenges. He, however, warned that security personnel should not be criticised as a result, saying it would play into the hands of the opponents.

Read Mr Tinubu’s full statement below:

Like all decent Nigerians, I am angered and troubled by the terror and cruelty being visited upon the people of Borno, Yobe, Benue, Niger, Imo and other parts of the nation.

These attacks have caused many to disparage our military and security forces. This we must not do. Valiant men and women serve in our security forces, risking their lives to protect us.

We stand with them. Government also must continue to encourage the security forces to do their utmost to subdue this threat. The lives of innocent Nigerians and the future progress of the nation may lie in the balance.

As a people, we must never surrender to the fearful temptation to blame one another. Regardless of region or religion, we must unite against a common foe. Discord will only invite defeat.

The enemy’s attacks seem to focus on our schools, religious institutions and security forces. They seek to extinguish the light of knowledge and hope by shrouding us in the darkness of fear and brutal ordeal.

We must not tremble. They will be vanquished. In the end, tolerance, justice and compassion shall win the day.