•Chief Nduese Essien
Worried by the worsening security situations in the country, a former Minister of Lands, Housing & Urban Development, Chief Nduese Essien says he is deeply troubled by the alarming deterioration of security across the country with increased wave of killings, kidnappings, and terrorism attacks which paints a picture of a nation in distress.
Essien, also a former two-term member of the House of Representatives in a press statement today titled, ON THE WORSENING SECURITY SITUATION IN NIGERIA, said Nigeria is dangerously close to normalising terror and needs a strong and focused leadership in essential time like this.
According to the elder statesman, “In the last few days alone, Brigadier General Musa Uba and three of his men were kidnapped and executed in Borno State. Over 64 citizens, including women and children, were abducted in Zamfara’s Tsafe Local Government Area.
“In Kebbi, 25 female students and their principal were kidnapped, and their vice principal killed. “Christians praying in Kwara were attacked, leaving three dead and 38 kidnapped. A police officer was killed in Geidam, Yobe State. In Gwoza, eight Civilian Joint Task Force members were murdered and three kidnapped.
“In Sokoto, 15 people, nursing mothers and newborns among them, were abducted and two killed. Only days ago, more than 300 students were kidnapped from a Catholic school in Niger State.”
He added, “These tragedies are no longer isolated events; they have become daily realities in many parts of Nigeria. The pattern of attacks have been consistent, coordinated, and increasingly brutal and shows that terrorism has grown beyond what any responsible government should tolerate.
“Schools are being shut down, families are afraid to send their children out, farmers have abandoned their fields, and worshippers no longer feel safe in their own sanctuaries. Nigeria is dangerously close to normalising terror.”
Essien lamented that the federal government under President Bola Tinubu has not demonstrated the urgency or clarity required, stressing that President Tinubu was once among the loudest critics of the Jonathan administration, demanding accountability for every life lost.
“Today, the insecurity he decried has worsened dramatically, yet the leadership he promised has not materialised”, he opined.
He further highlighted, “Nigeria must abandon the culture of excuses and political diversions that mask the real issues. The primary responsibility of government is to protect its citizens, not to rationalise the motives of terrorists or craft narratives of shared victimhood.
“Terrorism has religious, economic, political, and social roots that must be addressed honestly. It is counterproductive to shape national security decisions around the perceived sensitivities of foreign leaders. The killings are happening on Nigerian soil; the victims are Nigerians. Our leaders must prioritise Nigeria”.
He averred, “What the country needs now is a comprehensive, well-designed security strategy. It must prioritise intelligence gathering, strengthen community-based security networks, and ensure that the armed forces are properly equipped, motivated, and led by competent professionals.
He also stressed the importance of confronting the uncomfortable reality that terrorism is sometimes enabled by collaborators within security or political structures.
“Those who fund, support, or protect terrorists, regardless of their status, must be identified and held accountable. Security should never be sacrificed for political convenience,” he said.
The former minister maintained that politicisation of security poses a greater danger than the terrorists themselves, stressing that if the current trends continue, Nigeria risks losing public trust, experiencing economic collapse, fueling mass displacement, and sinking into deeper religious and ethnic conflict.
He added, “No nation can survive these combined pressures. Propaganda, sycophancy, and political scheming must not be allowed to overshadow the urgent need for decisive action. Nigeria is too important to Africa and the world to be allowed to fail”.
Chief Essien called on thought leaders, traditional rulers, religious figures, civil society organisations, the media, and all patriotic citizens to rise above partisanship and help restore order.
He said, “This support should be constructive, demanding competence and transparency while ensuring that government upholds its constitutional duty to protect lives and property. The government cannot solve this crisis alone; the nation must unite”.
