The Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, has defended the Federal Government’s approach to communicating kidnapping incidents, saying public updates on rescue operations could compromise security efforts as armed groups also monitor social media.
His comments came on Monday amid renewed criticism online over the handling of recent school abductions, with some users accusing the government of failing to provide sufficient assurances on rescue operations.
Responding via his X handle, Olusegun argued that operational secrecy was necessary to protect victims and security personnel, insisting that law enforcement agencies must be allowed to work without public disclosure of sensitive details.
“The Kidnappers are on social media with us and follow the trends to get updates. You cannot possibly expect the government to update rescue plans on social media if you really have the interest of those kids at heart, and it is not just for performative purposes. Concerned, we must. Reckless, we mustn’t,” he said.
He added that the priority remained securing the safe return of abducted victims, warning against actions that could endanger ongoing operations.
