OP‑ED: Nigeria’s Security Crisis Isn’t About Intelligence—It’s About Political Will

By Olanre Francis, MyPalaver Opinion Desk

Captain Bish Johnson’s recent interview has stirred the national pot—not because he said anything Nigerians haven’t heard before, but because he said it plainly. Nigeria, he argued, had actionable intelligence on terrorist camps but failed to strike. The United States did. And that contrast exposes a deeper truth we keep avoiding.

Nigeria’s problem is not a shortage of intelligence. It is a shortage of political will, strategic coordination, and modern military capability.

For years, Nigerians have been told that “intelligence gathering is ongoing,” as if intelligence is an achievement in itself. But intelligence without action is just information. And information without strategy is noise.

Johnson’s comments highlight a painful reality: Nigeria is fighting 21st‑century terrorists with 20th‑century tools and 19th‑century bureaucracy.

The Real Question: Why Didn’t Nigeria Strike First?

This is where the debate gets uncomfortable.

If the Nigerian government had the intelligence, why did it wait? Why did it take a foreign power to act on Nigerian soil before the threat was neutralized? Why are we always reacting to terrorism instead of preventing it?

These are not anti‑government questions. They are nation‑building questions.

A sovereign nation should not rely on another country to eliminate threats within its borders. Yet, here we are—celebrating foreign drone strikes because they succeeded where our own systems stalled.

The Hosts Became the Story—And That’s a Problem

The public backlash against the interview hosts is telling. Nigerians are tired of journalists who interrupt experts to defend political narratives. They want clarity, not combativeness. They want analysis, not argument.

When journalists become more emotional than the guest, the audience loses the substance.

Johnson was invited as a security expert. He should have been allowed to speak as one.

Nigeria Needs a New Security Doctrine

Johnson’s central argument is not about American superiority. It is about Nigerian vulnerability.

To defeat terrorism, Nigeria must:

• Modernize its military technology

• Strengthen inter‑agency coordination

• Build genuine international partnerships

• Remove political interference from security operations

• Invest in intelligence‑to‑action pipelines, not just intelligence gathering

This is not weakness. It is a strategy. The world’s strongest nations rely on alliances. The world’s weakest nations pretend they don’t need them.

The Diaspora Is Watching—And So Is the World

For Nigerians abroad, the interview was a reminder of how far the country has drifted from its potential. For the international community, it was confirmation that Nigeria’s security crisis is no longer a local problem—it is a global one.

Terrorism thrives where governance is slow, institutions are weak, and politics overrides professionalism. Nigeria must decide whether it wants to continue managing insecurity or finally end it.

Conclusion: We Cannot Keep Outsourcing Our Security

The U.S. drone strike should not embarrass Nigeria. It should awaken it.

If we truly want peace, we must build a security architecture that acts swiftly, intelligently, and independently. Nigeria has the talent. It has the personnel. What it lacks is the political courage to match its intelligence with decisive action.

Until that changes, we will keep gathering intelligence—and burying citizens.