The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has said state governors and local government chairmen should be held accountable for kidnappings and abductions that occur in their areas.
Bwala said the Federal Government could not be blamed for every kidnapping across the country, insisting that governors and local government authorities have key responsibilities for security and the protection of residents.
He stated this on Wednesday during an appearance on The Morayo Afolabi-Brown Show while responding to questions on the Federal Government’s handling of the abduction of schoolchildren in Oyo State and the growing insecurity in parts of the country.
According to him, the Federal Government had previously provided funds to states through the Save the School Initiative to improve security in schools by installing perimeter fences and early warning systems.
He urged Nigerians to ask their governors how the funds were used, arguing that many of the security measures expected under the programme had not been adequately implemented.
Bwala also alleged that many local governments were not receiving funds meant for them directly, claiming that councils across the country were entitled to significant monthly allocations.
He said direct access to such funds would enable local government chairmen to invest in primary healthcare, basic education, community security, including support for local vigilantes, and welfare programmes for elderly residents.
The presidential aide also criticised what he described as the attitude of some Nigerians who wait for government intervention without demanding accountability from leaders at the grassroots.
He explained that under the Nigerian Constitution, the President does not have the power to control governors, adding that President Bola Tinubu could only encourage state governments to do what was right rather than compel them.
Bwala called on citizens to organise town hall meetings in their local government areas and work with the media to demand accountability over public funds and governance.
Speaking on the schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Oyo State, he said the Federal Government’s priority was to secure their safe release, noting that a forceful rescue operation could put the victims’ lives at greater risk.
