When parents send their children to school, they should not have to pray against abduction. When farmers leave for their farms, they should not fear never returning home. When citizens travel from one city to another, they should not have to negotiate their safety with kidnappers. Yet this has become the painful reality confronting millions of Nigerians.
From the forests of Zamfara to the communities of Benue, from the troubled villages of Plateau to the highways of Kogi and the recent abductions in Oyo State, insecurity has assumed frightening dimensions that threaten the very foundation of our nationhood.
What was once considered a challenge confined to a few parts of northern Nigeria has now spread across virtually every geopolitical zone. Kidnapping for ransom, banditry, terrorism, communal conflicts, cult-related violence, armed robbery, piracy, and attacks on schools and communities have become recurring headlines. The consequences are devastating: loss of lives, destruction of property, economic stagnation, displacement of citizens, and a growing sense of hopelessness among Nigerians.
The recent abductions in Oyo State should serve as a wake-up call to both government and citizens. The South-West, once regarded as relatively secure compared with some other parts of the country, is now witnessing the infiltration of criminal gangs and kidnappers. Such incidents have not only traumatized families but have also exposed the vulnerability of our educational institutions, highways, and rural communities.
Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of the Nigerian security crisis is the normalization of violence. Hardly a week passes without reports of kidnappings, attacks on communities, or senseless killings. In many parts of the country, citizens have become accustomed to living in fear. Farmers can no longer access their farmlands. Travelers fear major highways. Parents are uncertain whether their children will return safely from school. Businesses are relocating, while potential investors continue to express concerns about the security environment.
The fundamental question, therefore, is: Why has insecurity persisted despite enormous budgetary allocations to defence and security agencies?
The answer lies in a combination of factors. First is the weakness of intelligence gathering and intelligence sharing among security agencies. Many attacks occur despite warnings from local communities. Second, corruption within some sectors of the security architecture has weakened operational effectiveness. Third, Nigeria’s vast forests and ungoverned spaces have become safe havens for criminal elements. Fourth, rising poverty, unemployment, and social exclusion continue to provide a steady pool of recruits for criminal networks and violent groups.
The time has come for the Federal Government to move beyond rhetoric and adopt a more deliberate, aggressive, and technology-driven approach to national security.
First, there must be a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s intelligence architecture. Modern security challenges cannot be defeated through conventional methods alone. The deployment of surveillance drones, satellite monitoring systems, artificial intelligence–powered intelligence platforms, and advanced communication technologies should become standard practice.
Second, the Federal Government must establish a coordinated forest security strategy. Most kidnappers and bandits operate from forest enclaves scattered across several states. These forests should no longer remain sanctuaries for criminals. A sustained military operation involving the Armed Forces, Air Force surveillance units, security agencies, and local intelligence networks should be launched to reclaim every inch of Nigerian territory occupied by criminal elements.
Third, community policing must move from policy discussions to practical implementation. Security is most effective when local communities are actively involved. Traditional rulers, community leaders, hunters, vigilante groups, and local security outfits should be integrated into a structured intelligence framework under proper supervision and accountability.
Fourth, the criminal justice system must become swifter and more decisive. Arrests alone are not enough. Kidnappers, terrorists, arms traffickers, and their sponsors must face speedy prosecution. Criminals must understand that there are consequences for their actions.
Fifth, government must address the socio-economic roots of insecurity. No nation can sustainably win the war against crime while millions of young people remain unemployed and hopeless. Massive investments in agriculture, vocational training, entrepreneurship, industrialization, and rural development are necessary to reduce the attraction of criminality.
Furthermore, border security must be strengthened. Nigeria’s porous borders continue to facilitate the influx of illegal arms, foreign fighters, and transnational criminal networks. Modern border surveillance technology and stronger regional cooperation with neighbouring countries are indispensable.
The National Assembly also has a critical role to play. Security funding must be subjected to greater transparency and oversight. Nigerians deserve to know how security resources are being utilized and whether such expenditures are producing measurable results.
Beyond government action, citizens themselves must become active stakeholders in national security. Suspicious activities should be reported promptly. Communities must reject the culture of silence that often shields criminal elements. Security is a collective responsibility.
The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must recognize that insecurity remains the single greatest threat to Nigeria’s unity, economic growth, and democratic stability. No amount of economic reform can succeed in an environment where lives and property are not adequately protected.
History teaches us that nations rise or fall based on their ability to guarantee the security of their citizens. Nigeria possesses the human resources, institutional capacity, and strategic potential to overcome this challenge. What is required is political will, decisive leadership, strategic coordination, and sustained commitment.
The tears of parents whose children remain in captivity, the cries of widows in Benue and Plateau, the fears of farmers in Zamfara and Katsina, and the anxiety of travelers across our highways all point to one urgent message: Nigerians are tired of promises; they want results.
The panacea to Nigeria’s insecurity is neither mystery nor miracle. It lies in purposeful governance, effective intelligence gathering, modern technology, economic inclusion, community participation, and the unwavering determination of the state to confront criminality wherever it exists.
Nigeria has won difficult battles before. It can win this one too. But victory will not come through speeches, press statements, or official assurances. It will come through deliberate action, courageous leadership, and a national resolve to ensure that every Nigerian can live, work, travel, and dream without fear.
The time to act is now.
•Dr Ofoye writes from Lagos.
