Former Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has expressed concern over the direction of Nigeria’s security architecture, warning that the country may be prioritizing “regime security” over the safety and wellbeing of ordinary citizens.
In a statement titled “National Security, Justice, and the People’s Wellbeing: Reclaiming the Purpose of Power”, dated February 8, 2026, El-Rufai highlighted that security institutions are increasingly being used to protect those in power rather than safeguard the lives, rights, and dignity of Nigerian families.
“National security exists so that citizens can live in peace, dignity, and without fear,” El-Rufai said in his statement released on Facebook. “It should not be about protecting those who temporarily occupy power.”
The former governor emphasized that when national security shifts focus from protecting the public to protecting the ruling class, families bear the brunt. Parents may feel unsafe sending children to school. Mothers may worry about venturing out for basic necessities. Communities can become vulnerable, and the sense of security that binds families together begins to erode.
El-Rufai’s warning is a reminder that true national security is inseparable from family wellbeing. When citizens are safe, children can thrive, parents can plan for the future, and communities can flourish. But when security serves only those in power, the most vulnerable families are put at risk.
As Nigerians continue to debate the nation’s security priorities, the focus, El-Rufai stresses, should remain on protecting lives, families, and the rights of ordinary citizens, not the temporary interests of those in government.
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