Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, has claimed that many suspected bandits arrested during security operations are poorly equipped and derive relatively little financial benefit from their criminal activities, despite the enormous public funds allocated to combating insecurity.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, Adebayo argued that insecurity has become profitable for some individuals within government, while those directly involved in violent crimes often receive only a fraction of the resources allegedly spent in the name of security.
According to him, under interrogation, many captured bandits reveal that they earned only about N150,000 from participating in kidnapping and other criminal activities.
“When we catch these bandits, many of them malnourished and poorly resourced — many of them under interrogation will say: ‘All the money I have made from all this mayhem is one hundred and fifty thousand naira.’ Yet billions have gone,” he said.
The SDP flag bearer argued that the disparity raises questions about how security funds are being utilised, alleging that huge sums budgeted for security do not appear to translate into improved protection for citizens.
Adebayo maintained that the federal government bears responsibility for the worsening insecurity across the country, alleging that authorities have failed to act on intelligence and early warnings from communities vulnerable to attacks.
He further claimed that intelligence gathering by Nigerian security agencies is generally effective, but that actionable intelligence is often not followed through because of failures within the political leadership.
According to him, the country’s policing system has also been weakened by excessive political interference, with security institutions increasingly subordinated to political interests rather than professional law enforcement priorities.
The former presidential candidate said his administration, if elected in 2027, would reform the security architecture by insulating law enforcement agencies from political control and ensuring that intelligence-driven operations are promptly executed.
Adebayo added that while terrorists and bandits should face the full weight of the law, addressing insecurity would require greater accountability in the management of security resources and a renewed focus on protecting citizens rather than political officeholders.
