By Abba Dukawa
Today, no one in the country feels secure; in one moment there is reason to smile, and in the next only hopeless tears for the security failure. The issue of insecurity in Nigeria has become something of grave concern to all citizens, most of whom continue to wonder how the country arrived at such a dastardly situation where no one is safe.
The constitution, of course, places responsibility for security on the government; in other words, security is a federal responsibility. Both leaders and the led recognize that citizens’ need for security formed the basis of the social contract between the people and the state; therefore, citizens’ security should be a fundamental right and entitlement for every citizen. However, both the federal and state governments appear to be doing insufficient work.
To get to the root of the problem, it is clear that—given the alarming insecurity across the country—the administration and the security apparatus are failing to manage the situation, because each day Nigerians are kidnapped or killed by armed bandits and other terrorists.
Despite current lamentations about the worrying security situation, how can we explain the prevailing condition in the country under the watch of the president and state governors, where scores of people are being killed or kidnapped daily and countless hundreds are abandoning their homes?
In recent days the country has witnessed its bloodiest day, unleashed by terrorists and bandits against defenseless people. In the northeast, terrorists abducted and publicly executed Brigadier General Uba and three of his men in Borno State. Eight members of the Civilian Task Force were killed and three were abducted in Gwoza, Borno State; in Tsafe LGA, Zamfara State, 64 civilians—including women and children—were abducted.
In Maga, Kebbi State, 25 female students and their principal were taken from a school, while the vice‑principal was killed. In Eruku, Kwara State, 38 worshippers were abducted from a church, and a policeman was killed in an attack in Geidam, Yobe State. Fifteen people including four nursing mothers and their babies—were abducted, and two were killed in Sabon Birni, Sokoto State; four rice farmers were killed in an attack in Edu, Kwara State. Additionally, many students were abducted from a Catholic school in Agwara, Niger State. All of these incidents occurred within just one week.
Almost every day, stories emerge that make one shiver at how the administration handles critical issues affecting Nigerians. Nigerians feel alienated, angry, and fed up with the way things are going in the country. People are tired of excuses when all they experience are open threats from criminal elements.
The escalation of attacks by bandits, rustlers, and insurgents leads to the conclusion that the North—and the country at large—is now completely at the mercy of armed gangs that roam towns and villages at will, wreaking havoc. It appears that both federal and state governments have lost control of protecting the people—a constitutional duty they swore to uphold. The situation is worsening by the day, and bandits and insurgents seem to sense a vacuum in political will and capacity, which they exploit with disastrous consequences for communities and individuals.
Coordination failures: a significant lack of effective inter‑agency collaboration, often stemming from rivalries, mistrust, and bureaucratic inefficiencies. This siloed approach means critical intelligence is frequently not shared in a timely manner, leading to operational failures and missed opportunities to prevent attacks and abductions. Another factor is competition and a lack of trust among security agencies (Police, Army, Air Force, DSS, DIA, etc.), which results in information hoarding rather than shared intelligence for a common goal.
There is a need to reduce distrust among security agencies. The coordinating body must play a central role in building trust and improving its ability to understand the true nature of intelligence. It should focus on coordination, avoid direct involvement in operations, and work to bridge the trust gap within the intelligence community. Collaboration can be strengthened by creating platforms such as an intelligence‑fusion centre, and embracing technology is essential. Artificial intelligence can accelerate the collection, processing, and dissemination of intelligence, making the entire process more efficient. The country also requires robust intelligence‑gathering networks that involve local communities; engaging residents is key to obtaining timely information on potential threats.
The government must shift from a state‑centric security model to a citizen‑centric one. When citizens see that security efforts are designed for their protection, they will be more willing to share valuable information with security agencies.
These terrorists, bandits, and kidnappers, displaying a certain degree of impunity, scatter themselves and walk freely. When and how security agencies will pursue the perpetrators and bring them to swift justice remain questions that Nigerians can only wonder about. The government should wake up to its duty: comb the forests and eliminate these bandits.
If our leaders wanted this insecurity to end, they know the solution: they know what to do, where to strike, and who is aiding these beasts. Whoever is behind this bloodshed—whoever benefits from it, whoever sits in secret meetings to prolong this evil, whoever supplies information, weapons, protection, or encouragement to these demons—may the God of justice visit them.
May their secret places be exposed; may their wickedness return to their own heads; may their laughter turn to sorrow; may their lives never know peace; may their generation feel the weight of the innocent blood they have spilled; may the cries of widows and fatherless children rise as a witness against them.
For our brave soldiers and other security personnel who lost their lives protecting our country—your sacrifice chose Nigeria; you chose all of us. We cannot forget them. We stand by them, and their names should not be known by everyone. Rest in peace, gallants; we are grateful. May you find eternal peace. Thank you for your service.
Dukawa writes from Kano and can be reached at abbahydukawa@gmail.com.
