“Anger Boils Over as Tinubu’s Security Briefing Looks Like a Photoshoot, Not a Crisis Meeting”
By Passman Akpos
A wave of criticism erupted on Saturday morning after the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, shared a photograph showing the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Tosin Adeola Ajayi, briefing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the current security situation in the country.
The single photo released online — with no accompanying details of resolutions or directives — triggered an avalanche of public frustration, with many Nigerians questioning the seriousness of the meeting and the federal government’s communication approach in the face of escalating insecurity nationwide.
Social media users accused the presidency of prioritizing optics over concrete action.
Critics mocked the sitting posture and relaxed demeanour captured in the image, arguing that it did not convey the urgency required for a national security briefing.
> “That brief didn’t even enter Mr President’s ear the way he just sat down,” one user wrote, echoing widespread scepticism.“Is showing us the picture now the solution? We want decisions, not photo-ops.”
Another commenter questioned the purpose of the post entirely:
> “Since when did internal briefings become a matter of media release? Bayo, what is the sense of this update without details? Are you running a monetized account?”
Others complained that the briefing appeared more like a casual photo session than a high-stakes security consultation.
> “Does this sitting arrangement look like a real security briefing?”“I can’t even see a man with serious security training in that room.”
The backlash broadened into deeper concerns about the country’s worsening insecurity, with users demanding answers rather than staged updates:
> “What do you think is the root cause of the recent increase in insecurity? You can as well ask Baba!”“All these photo sections won’t solve the problems.”
Some commenters, however, defended the president, insisting he was actively engaged:
> “Tinubu is working day and night with his cap and glasses receiving briefings. E go soon reach una.”
Calls for tangible reforms also emerged, including appeals for massive recruitment into security agencies to boost manpower across volatile regions.
Despite the tensions, a segment of the public offered prayers and expressed hope that Nigeria would overcome its security challenges:
> “May Almighty Allah turn around Nigeria. This is not the time for politics but unity and sacrifice for our nation.”“PBAT will succeed and Nigeria will be great again.”
As insecurity continues to dominate national discourse, many Nigerians insist that what the country urgently needs is not images of briefings but clear policies, decisive actions, and measurable improvements in safety across all states.
