Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the national leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), stated that the persistent security challenges plaguing the country is as a result of lack of political will rather than any deficiency in the armed forces.
Speaking on Tuesday, December 23, during the inauguration of the Kano State Neighbourhood Watch Corps, a 2,000-member security outfit established by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, the former Minister of Defence argued that while Nigerian troops have been successful in international peacekeeping missions, there is a need for a more decisive leadership at home to end domestic banditry and terrorism.
Kwankwaso stated that Nigerian soldiers are highly respected in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Darfur, stating that the same excellence could be achieved domestically if the Commander-in-Chief provides superior equipment and clear mandates.
Our military officers and men are courageous and well-trained. What is lacking today is political will, especially from the Commander-in-Chief. The Commander-in-Chief must truly act as such by providing the necessary equipment, arms, training, and retraining needed to defeat criminal elements – Senator Kwankwaso
Kwankwaso, ex-Minister of Defence, called on the Federal Government to use force to evict criminals from ungoverned areas if talks with bandits collapse.
The Northwest region has faced a surge in rural banditry throughout 2025, with criminals often crossing state borders to carry out deadly attacks. In response, Kano State under the leadership of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, has followed the lead of states like Katsina and Zamfara by creating its own community-based paramilitary force.
The new 2,000 Kano corps personnel consists of 1,870 men and 130 women, trained to provide intelligence and support to conventional agencies like the Police and the Military.
Governor Yusuf has unveiled 88 Hilux patrol vehicles and 440 motorcycles to support the new corps, and to make sure the security presence reaches satellite areas, including the farming communities often targeted by bandits.
Governor Yusuf also urged the National Assembly to expedite laws for State Police to fully empower these local forces.
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