News
Nigeria’s Insecurity Crisis: A Nation Under Siege
By Sam Agogo
Nigeria, once hailed as the “Giant of Africa,” is today weighed down by a crisis of insecurity that touches nearly every aspect of life. From schools to churches, highways to homes, farms to villages, fear has become the daily reality for millions. Ordinary acts such as sending children to school, traveling to markets, or attending worship services now carry extraordinary risks.
In recent weeks, two major school attacks have underscored the fragility of Nigeria’s security architecture. In Kebbi State, armed men stormed Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, killing Vice Principal Hassan Yakubu Makuku and abducting 25 schoolgirls. Days later, Niger State witnessed one of the largest school kidnappings in the nation’s history when 315 people — including 303 students and 12 teachers — were taken from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri. These incidents have left families devastated and communities traumatized, with children scarred by experiences that should never be part of their lives. UNICEF condemned the attacks, stressing that classrooms must remain places of safety, not fear.
The crisis extends far beyond schools. In Kwara State, bandits invaded Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku during worship, killing five congregants and abducting thirty-eight others. The attack sent shockwaves across the country, highlighting how even sacred spaces are no longer spared. Highways have become perilous, forcing many to abandon road travel for costly flights. Entire villages have been deserted, their roads littered with burnt vehicles and ambush sites. Communities once vibrant with life are now ghost towns, emptied by relentless violence.
The human toll is staggering. Families have been wiped out, leaving behind widows, orphans, and broken communities. Survivors recount nights spent hiding in forests, children watching their parents executed, and mothers pleading for their babies to be spared. In many areas, villagers are forced to pay ransoms or negotiate directly with bandits simply to survive. Farmers must pay “taxes” before accessing their own land, while communities pool money to buy temporary peace. This grim reality has turned banditry into a parallel authority, undermining the state and stripping citizens of dignity.
Nigeria’s security forces have also paid a heavy price. Reports indicate that more than 450 soldiers have died in ambushes since 2019, with over 130 security personnel killed in Katsina State alone in the past two years. Soldiers themselves have voiced frustration, alleging that they are being used as “sacrifices.” Some claim that when they gain the upper hand against insurgents, orders come from above instructing them to withdraw. These allegations point to troubling questions of complicity and sabotage within the ranks.
Concerns about government involvement further complicate the crisis. Analysts and citizens alike believe that elements within government and security agencies may be aiding bandits, whether through corruption, negligence, or outright collaboration. Senior Advocate of Nigeria Terkaa Aondo has argued that state complicity and legal failure are central to Nigeria’s insecurity, while retired U.S. Army Captain Bishop Johnson has warned that the collapse of local governance has allowed criminal networks to thrive unchecked.
Nasarawa State, though not among the two schools attacked in recent weeks, has also witnessed a surge in abductions. At least six major incidents have been reported in recent months, including kidnappings of students, clergy, and families. In one case, 12 victims were rescued in a joint military operation across Nasarawa and Gwagwalada. These attacks highlight how insecurity is spreading beyond traditional hotspots, engulfing communities that once felt relatively safe.
The National Human Rights Commission has repeatedly warned that insecurity is eroding fundamental rights. In its 2025 dashboard, the Commission noted that violations of the right to life remain the most prevalent, driven by banditry, terror attacks, and fatal road ambushes. Security experts echo this alarm, observing that most kidnapping incidents are driven not by ideology but by criminal opportunism and extortion. The implications are far-reaching. The closure of unity schools and other institutions due to insecurity is a dangerous setback for education. Farmers abandoning their fields worsen food insecurity, inflation rises, and hunger spreads. Families forced to pay ransoms lose not only money but dignity, as they are compelled to acknowledge the authority of criminals over their lives. Beyond education and the economy, insecurity erodes trust in government, weakens institutions, and fuels mass displacement.
Nigeria stands at a crossroads. Protecting children, worshippers, farmers, and citizens is not just a moral duty but a constitutional obligation. Communities must resist sympathizing with insurgents, and government must confront corruption and complicity within its ranks. The time for half-measures is over. Insecurity is not just a statistic; it is the child abducted from school, the farmer chased from his land, the worshipper kidnapped from church, the family dragged from their home, and the community that no longer exists.
There are solutions — practical, immediate, and structural — that can turn the tide if pursued with courage and accountability. First, secure schools and worship centers with layered protection: vetted local guards, perimeter fencing, alarm systems, and rapid response protocols tied to nearby military formations; implement Safe School transport corridors with armed escorts and staggered schedules to reduce exposure. Second, reclaim rural roads and villages through sustained, intelligence-led operations: map and clear forest corridors, destroy bandit camps, and hold territory using forward operating bases, drones for night surveillance, and community informant networks protected by law. Third, fix the chain of command: establish an independent joint operations oversight unit to audit orders, investigate stand-down directives, and prosecute sabotage; rotate commanders regularly, track assets digitally, and require transparent after-action reports accessible to the National Assembly and NHRC. Fourth, cut off money flows: criminalize ransom brokerage, surveil cash movements and crypto channels linked to kidnappings, freeze suspected accounts swiftly, and create a victim support fund so families aren’t forced into extortion. Fifth, strengthen justice and accountability: fast-track terrorism and banditry cases with special courts, protect witnesses, and enforce minimum sentencing; sanction officials complicit in kidnap economies, publish quarterly accountability dashboards, and incentivize whistleblowers. Sixth, rebuild local governance and livelihoods: restore functional local councils, recruit and train community rangers under strict federal oversight, provide farm recovery grants, and expand school feeding and psychosocial support for traumatized children. Seventh, address root causes: invest in jobs for youth through public works in affected areas, expand vocational training tied to agriculture and construction, and integrate deradicalization and reintegration programs where appropriate, with strict monitoring. Eighth, coordinate better: unify security agencies under a single theater command per region, share real-time intelligence, and run joint patrols rather than fragmented deployments; invite targeted international technical assistance for ISR, forensics, and hostage rescue while maintaining sovereignty.
The future of Nigeria’s children, its economy, and its democracy depends on urgent, transparent, and courageous action. Without it, fear will continue to define daily life, and the promise of the “Giant of Africa” will remain unfulfilled.
For comments, reflections, and further conversation:
Email: samuelagogo4one@yahoo.com
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