NSA Ribadu defends Tinubu, warns critics: ‘Underestimate him at your own peril’
Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has issued a strong rebuke to critics of President Bola Tinubu, warning that those who continue to underestimate the president “do so at their own peril.”
Ribadu made the remarks in Abuja during the 2025 National Cyber Security Conference, themed “Building a Resilient Digital Future.” Addressing an audience that included both Nigerians and foreign stakeholders, the NSA said Tinubu’s leadership was ushering in national progress and restoring stability across sectors.
“Mr. President is a digital President and educated. Yes, he is very enlightened. He knows things. People underestimate him at their own peril,” Ribadu said.
He asserted that Nigeria is safer and better under Tinubu, despite ongoing criticism from segments of the public and media.
“We are in control, things are changing”
Ribadu pushed back against negative narratives around security and the economy, insisting that improvements are being made steadily.
“Nigeria is getting safer and better every single day. Our economy is stabilising. Things are getting better day by day,” he stated.
Highlighting progress in conflict-prone areas, he claimed that the Niger Delta is safer than ever, and that the South-East is beginning to return to normalcy. He issued a warning to those allegedly funding unrest from abroad:
“Those who are creating problems there and are outside the country, we are going to jail them there. We will not allow the money they are sending to Nigeria. We are working and getting results.”
Ribadu dismissed persistent critics of the government as “expired” figures from past regimes who feel entitled to power.
“They are outdated… They created problems—religious, ethnic, political problems. We are trying to address them; they should give us chance, please.”
Ribadu to investors: Nigeria is the future of Africa
Encouraging telecom operators and foreign investors to deepen their engagement with Nigeria, Ribadu stressed the country’s strategic importance in the region.
“Nigeria is the future of Africa,” he said, while urging stakeholders to actively support the country’s efforts in building cyber resilience.
He noted that threats to digital infrastructure—targeting institutions like banks, schools, and markets—require collective defense strategies. He confirmed that following the operationalisation of the National Cyber Crime Centre, decisive measures have been taken to strengthen national cybersecurity.
EFCC Chairman announces full digitalisation by end of 2025
Also speaking at the event, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), revealed that the Commission is undergoing complete digital transformation to strengthen its response to cybercrime.
“By the end of 2025, all processes—submission of petitions, investigations, prosecution—will be fully digitalised,” he said.
Olukoyede also disclosed a major enforcement breakthrough: 194 fraudsters—some of them foreigners using stolen Nigerian identities—were arrested in one operation, with 146 already convicted.
He described the achievement as a testament to the Commission’s ongoing commitment to securing Nigeria’s digital economy.
The conference brought together cybersecurity stakeholders, public officials, law enforcement agencies, and private sector leaders as Nigeria ramps up efforts to protect its digital infrastructure amid growing global threats.
