Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, has said the government negotiated with terrorists and told them to stop killing people during the day, advising Nigerians to avoid travelling after 9pm.
The remarks attributed to the presidential aide have been widely circulated on social media, drawing reactions amid continued concerns over insecurity across Nigeria.
Onanuga made related comments during a recent television interview, on Arise TV’s Prime Time with host Charles Aniagolu, where he criticised sections of the Nigerian media for their coverage of insecurity. He argued that some reports create the impression that the entire country is overwhelmed by violence.
The presidential aide insisted that Nigeria was not under siege, despite acknowledging security breaches and major incidents in parts of the country.
He noted that many kidnappings and attacks occur at night, citing incidents reported around 8pm or 9pm and sometimes as late as 1am. He also recalled that the police had previously advised Nigerians against travelling at night.
To support his position, Onanuga referred to road journeys he considered safe, including his own trip from Lagos to Oyo for a burial and an account of a man who travelled by road from Abuja to another location.
His comments come as Nigeria continues to grapple with attacks by terrorists, bandits and kidnappers in different parts of the country. Travellers on some highways remain concerned about abductions, ambushes and other security threats.
Successive government responses to abductions have sometimes involved contact or negotiations with groups holding victims. Such approaches have prompted questions from opposition figures about why security forces do not always arrest or neutralise the perpetrators during these encounters.
The remarks have renewed public debate over night travel, the government’s handling of insecurity and its responsibility to protect citizens on the nation’s roads.
While avoiding travel during high risk hours may help reduce exposure to danger in some areas, many Nigerians continue to seek stronger security measures, safer highways and effective action against criminal groups.
