How Buhari’s Govt Fuelled Banditry and Kidnapping — Ex-DSS Director Reveals

Former Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Dennis Amachree, has blamed the administration of late former President Muhammadu Buhari for the worsening insecurity that gripped Nigeria during his years in office.

Amachree made the claims in his newly released book, “DSS@40: My Journey Behind the Shield,” where he examined some of the major security challenges that confronted the country and the government’s response to them.

According to the former intelligence chief, insecurity expanded across many parts of Nigeria during the Buhari era as insurgency, banditry and kidnapping became more widespread.

He argued that the administration failed to respond effectively to the growing threats despite repeated warnings and increasing attacks on communities.

“The period of the Muhammadu Buhari administration is viewed as a critical time when security threats metastasized, and government indifference became palpable,” Amachree wrote.

“Despite being a former military general, the administration was perceived as doing ‘little or nothing’ about the escalating threats of insurgency, banditry and kidnapping. This lack of effective response fueled the perception of a clueless leadership that did not understand or care about democratic governance.”

The former DSS director said the situation created frustration among citizens who felt abandoned as attacks by terrorists, bandits and kidnappers continued across several states.

He also criticised some of Buhari’s public comments during his time in office, saying they contributed to public dissatisfaction at a period when many Nigerians were already struggling with economic hardship and insecurity.

“The president’s comments, such as labelling Nigerian youths ‘lazy’ during international trips, were seen as adding insult to the injury of widespread unemployment,” he stated.

“This not only damaged the nation’s reputation but further alienated a massive segment of the population who felt abandoned by the government.”

Beyond what he described as weak responses to insecurity, Amachree accused top government officials of enabling the crisis through corruption and the payment of ransom to criminal groups.

He claimed that billions of naira were secretly paid to bandits in efforts to secure the release of kidnapped victims.

According to him, such payments strengthened criminal networks and encouraged more abductions across the country.

“The subsequent official denials, debunked by bandits such as Bello Turji, destroyed public faith and proved that the state was directly financing the threats it claimed it was fighting,” he wrote.

Amachree further argued that Nigeria’s security challenges should not be viewed solely through ethnic or regional lenses.

Instead, he said the larger problem lies within the political class, which he accused of prioritising personal interests above the welfare and security of ordinary citizens.

“The true impediment to peace and stability is the political class, which refuses to allow citizens to pursue their daily lives in a stable environment,” Amachree said.

He added that while economic concerns and security threats continued to grow, many politicians operated with what he described as “reckless abandon.”

“While economic warnings intensified and the security situation deteriorated, politicians displayed a state of ‘reckless abandon’, prioritizing personal interests over national stability, thus confirming their role as the ultimate threat to social cohesion and security.”

During his presidency, Buhari consistently defended his administration’s efforts against terrorism and banditry, insisting that security agencies were working to defeat criminal groups operating across the country.

In August 2021, amid growing criticism over rising attacks by armed groups, Buhari rejected allegations that his government was soft on bandits and terrorists.

The former president said those accusing him of applying double standards were being unfair.

“I’m also dealing with bandits in the language they understand,” Buhari said during an interview at the time.

He maintained that security agencies had been directed to intensify operations against criminal elements threatening national security.

On another occasion, Buhari vowed that armed bandits would not be spared, directing military personnel to pursue and eliminate those responsible for attacks on communities.

“As the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, I believe you are capable of doing it. I don’t think you should spare any bandit. Identify and eliminate them. Pursue them anywhere you can find them and eliminate them,” he said.

The former president also repeatedly assured Nigerians that terrorism, kidnapping and banditry would eventually be defeated.

“Under my watch, the nation will triumph over them – terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and the like,” Buhari declared in an Easter message while in office.