Okonkwo terror negotiation criticism as Kenneth Okonkwo accuses Tinubu administration of poor handling of insecurity and alleged talks with terrorists
Chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kenneth Okonkwo, has launched a scathing attack on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his administration, accusing them of mishandling Nigeria’s worsening security situation and allegedly engaging in soft negotiations with terrorist groups.
Also read: Kenneth Okonkwo Slams FCT Election Under Unknown Law
Okonkwo made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Wednesday, where he criticised the federal government’s approach to insecurity across the country.
The former Nollywood actor alleged that the administration had failed in its core responsibility of protecting citizens, describing its handling of security matters as deeply flawed and politically motivated.
According to him, insecurity has continued to worsen due to poor governance, rising poverty, and what he described as weak enforcement against criminal activity.
“So I’m sorry to say this, that the government is now part of the criminal gang that is buying and selling Nigerians,” Okonkwo said during the broadcast.
He further accused the administration of lacking adequate security deployment, claiming that large ungoverned spaces across the country had worsened criminal recruitment and emboldened attackers.
Okonkwo also criticised what he described as a “soft approach” to terrorism, alleging that authorities were engaging in conciliatory dialogue with armed groups to secure the release of kidnapped victims without consequence.
“You can imagine that more than hundreds of people are kidnapped at a time, and they will release the whole 100 and nothing happened,” he added.
Also read: Kenneth Okonkwo Says Tinubu Targeting El-Rufai Over ADC Move
The comments add to ongoing political tensions surrounding Nigeria’s security challenges, which have remained a central issue in national discourse ahead of the 2027 election cycle.
