By Ogungbayi Adeyemi S. | adeyemi@ddnewsonline.com
Editor, DDNews |
The brutal attack in Jos on the night of March 29, 2026, has once again exposed the fragility of Nigeria’s security architecture. Gunmen stormed Angwan Rukuba in Jos North Local Government Area a densely populated community closely linked to the University of Jos opening indiscriminate fire and killing at least 26 to 30 people. The University suspended examinations, a 48-hour curfew was imposed in parts of the city, and residents are left mourning yet another cycle of bloodshed in Plateau State.
This is not an isolated tragedy. It fits into a disturbing national pattern of unrelenting violence that has turned large swathes of Nigeria into killing fields. From Plateau to Benue, Zamfara, Kaduna, and beyond, banditry, terrorism, farmer-herder clashes, and kidnappings have become a grim daily reality. Farmers abandon their lands, students fear attending school, and ordinary citizens live in perpetual anxiety.
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According to Amnesty International, at least 10,217 Nigerians were killed in attacks by armed groups between May 2023 and May 2025, with Benue State recording over 6,896 deaths and Plateau State at least 2,630. These numbers represent shattered families, displaced communities, and stolen futures.
Even more alarming, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) reported that 2,266 people were killed in the first half of 2025 alone already surpassing the total for the entire year of 2024. Violence has not only persisted but accelerated in many regions, turning insecurity into a full-blown national emergency.
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Nigeria’s founding fathers Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, and Ahmadu Bello envisioned a united nation built on integrity, service, and the protection of citizens. Today, that vision feels increasingly distant. Security, the primary duty of any responsible government, has too often been entangled in political rhetoric, blame-shifting, and electoral calculations.
The consequences are devastating and far-reaching. Insecurity cripples agriculture and economic growth, scares away investors, disrupts education, fuels poverty, and swells the ranks of internally displaced persons (IDPs). Entire villages in the Middle Belt and North-West have been sacked or abandoned. Public trust in government is eroding dangerously when citizens no longer believe the state can protect them, the social contract itself is under threat.
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It is time for a fundamental shift: security must be placed above politics.
Leaders at federal, state, and local levels must move beyond press statements and photo-ops to concrete, sustained action. This includes:
Significantly strengthening security agencies through better funding, modern equipment, advanced intelligence gathering, rigorous training, and improved welfare for personnel.
Addressing root causes — poverty, youth unemployment, ethnic and religious tensions, weak governance, and porous borders.
Ensuring swift accountability: perpetrators must be identified, arrested, and prosecuted without favoritism or delay. Impunity only breeds more violence.
Promoting genuine coordination among all security outfits and deeper collaboration with local communities and traditional institutions for proactive intelligence and early response.
Most importantly, leaders must resist the temptation to politicize every tragedy. The blood of innocent Nigerians should never become ammunition for partisan battles or electioneering. Every life lost is a collective failure that demands urgent, unified response.
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Nigeria stands at a critical crossroads. We can continue with fragmented, reactive measures and political distractions, or we can summon the national will to confront this emergency with seriousness and purpose.
The safety, dignity, and future of Nigerian citizens must come first. Anything less is a betrayal of the trust reposed in leadership and a threat to the very survival of the nation.
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DDNewsOnline calls on the Federal Government, state governors, security chiefs, and all political actors to rise above narrow interests. The people of Jos, Plateau, Benue, Zamfara, Kaduna, and every affected community deserve more than condolences they deserve protection and justice.
Enough is enough. Prioritize security. Save lives. Rebuild trust.