June 9, 2026
Ejiro Ofoye
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.