Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has underscored national security as the irreducible foundation of any functional state, warning that no country can claim true nationhood in the absence of safety for its citizens.
Fayose, who spoke during an interview on TVC on Saturday, argued that insecurity anywhere in Nigeria poses a collective threat to the entire federation, irrespective of geography or ethnicity. According to him, the country’s challenges in one region inevitably reverberate across others, making security a non-negotiable national priority.
“A country without security cannot stand. It does not matter whether the problem is in the North, South, East or West. Once there is insecurity in one part, the whole nation is at risk,” he said.
He linked this reality to government fiscal priorities, noting that security consistently attracts a significant share of national budgets because of its centrality to governance and public welfare.
“When budgets are prepared, security takes a huge allocation. That is because the people matter, and protecting the people is the essence of government,” Fayose stated.
The former governor also welcomed recent international-backed security operations against terrorist groups, expressing relief over reports that the actions were precise and avoided civilian casualties. He described the interventions as a timely boost to Nigeria’s fight against violent extremism.
“I am grateful for an intervention strong enough to confront ISIS and similar organisations that have made life unbearable for Nigerians,” he said, adding that available reports suggested the operations were carefully executed.
Reacting to concerns about national sovereignty and allegations of religious bias, Fayose dismissed such arguments as misplaced and emotionally driven. He maintained that the operations were directed strictly at threats to national stability, not at any religious group.
“This is not about Muslims or Christians. It is about enemies of Nigeria—those pushing into our borders and attempting to destabilise the country,” he said.
Fayose further argued that security forces, whether local or foreign, are focused on neutralising threats rather than profiling religious identities. What matters, he stressed, is the elimination of forces undermining national peace.
He concluded by asserting that no responsible leadership would sacrifice the nation’s security on the altar of politics or religion, insisting that safeguarding Nigeria must always override sectional considerations.
“No president would jeopardise Nigeria because of religion. The priority must be to remove these elements for the good and survival of the country,” Fayose said.
