Akpabio Says Foreigners Make Up Over 70% of Those Destabilising Nigeria

What changed

Nigeria’s Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, said on 15 October that more than 70% of the people destabilising the country’s security are not Nigerians. He did not identify the groups or people behind that figure.

Why it matters

The statement puts foreign origin at the centre of Nigeria’s public explanation for terrorism and insecurity. That matters because it shifts attention toward border security and the role of Nigeria’s security institutions in identifying who is operating inside the country.

But the 70% figure remains a political claim, not a documented security assessment in the account available here. No methodology, timeframe, locations or supporting evidence were provided, so its real weight will depend on whether Nigerian authorities publish details that can be checked.