Claim: An X user, @Pharmacio001, shared a statement allegedly attributed to President Tinubu after the Bornu Bomb attacks: “Nigeria has no government.” Verdict: Misleading Full Story On March 16, 2026, Maiduguri, Borno State, was rocked by coordinated bomb explosions that killed at least 23 people and injured over 100. The blasts struck crowded areas, including
Claim: An X user, @Pharmacio001, shared a statement allegedly attributed to President Tinubu after the Bornu Bomb attacks: “Nigeria has no government.”
Verdict: Misleading
Full Story
On March 16, 2026, Maiduguri, Borno State, was rocked by coordinated bomb explosions that killed at least 23 people and injured over 100. The blasts struck crowded areas, including the Monday Market, the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital gate, and the Post Office Flyover. Authorities suspect Boko Haram involvement, signalling a troubling resurgence of terrorism in the region.
Following the incident, the Inspector-General of Police visited Maiduguri, met victims in hospitals, and expressed sympathy. The attacks heightened fear among residents and underscored that insurgents remain capable of striking urban centres despite years of military pressure.
Meanwhile, President Tinubu proceeded with a scheduled state visit to the United Kingdom. ICIR reported that the trip went ahead even as Borno reeled from the tragedy, sparking criticism and calls for stronger counter-terrorism strategies.
The Federal Government has faced mounting pressure to re-strategise counter-terrorism operations and prevent further urban attacks.
Amid this, a viral post claimed Tinubu had said: “The festering Boko Haram attacks on the North East and massacre of innocent citizens is proof that Nigeria has no government.” The post quickly gained traction, with over 14,000 views by March 18, 2026, and many reactions suggesting opposition figures were amplifying it ahead of elections.
See the screenshot of the post below:
Given the sensitivity of security issues and their implications for the upcoming general elections, NDRFactCheck has decided to verify the statement’s veracity.
Verification
NDRFact conducted a reverse image search and traced the statement to a September 9, 2014, post by Bola Ahmed Tinubu, then an opposition leader criticising President Goodluck Jonathan’s handling of security.
See the old post below:
In July 2025, Paul Ibe, former media adviser to Atiku Abubakar, resurfaced the old post, framing it as relevant to current realities. However, when NDRFactCheck visited the official X handle of President Tinubu, the account contained no such statement in the past 48 hours.
Instead, on March 17, 2026, Tinubu posted directly about the Maiduguri attacks:
“I want to make it categorically clear that these acts of terror are the final desperate and frantic attempts by criminals and terrorist elements trying to instil and spread fear, as they are under constant pressure from our brave armed forces and security agencies operating in various theatres.”
Further corroboration came from an Instagram user, @iamshowboz, who noted, “Tinubu was right once again; 11 years ago, Sept. 9th, 2014,” confirming the statement was not recent.
Conclusion
The claim that President Tinubu said “Nigeria has no government” in response to the March 2026 Borno bombings is misleading. The statement originated from a 2014 tweet when Tinubu was in opposition, not from his current presidency
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