Soyinka: Troops Guarding Tinubu’s Son Could Crush Benin Uprising

Lagos – Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka has reignited debate over Nigeria’s security priorities, claiming that the convoy assigned to President Bola Tinubu’s son, Seyi Tinubu, was large enough to “crush” the recently foiled coup attempt in the Republic of Benin.

Speaking at the 20th Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism Awards in Lagos, Soyinka warned that Nigeria is dangerously misallocating its security resources amid escalating national insecurity.

Recounting what he witnessed in Ikoyi, Lagos, Soyinka said he was astounded by the size of Seyi Tinubu’s security escort.

“I was astonished. The battalion I saw was sufficient to take over a small country,” Soyinka said in a viral 4-minute-25-second video shared on X under #Nigeriastories.

He added, humorously noting that if a major insurgency were to break out, the President could perhaps ask his son to handle it, given the size of his security detail. But he stressed the underlying seriousness of the issue:

“We cannot concentrate a battalion of operatives around one individual while the nation bleeds,” Soyinka warned. “Security deployments must reflect national realities, not privilege.”

Soyinka also addressed the media landscape, praising investigative journalism while cautioning that misinformation on social platforms could spark future conflicts.

[irp]

In addition, he criticised Nigeria’s involvement in the halted coup attempt in neighbouring Benin, calling it “another unnecessary military entanglement.” He further condemned ongoing demolitions across Lagos State, highlighting the human cost for vulnerable residents.

Rights groups have long argued that VIP security allocations drain manpower from public safety, a concern underscored when President Tinubu ordered the withdrawal of police officers from VIP duties nationwide in November, directing them to core policing roles.

The video of Soyinka’s remarks continues to circulate widely on social media, intensifying public scrutiny of governance, accountability, and the allocation of Nigeria’s security resources.