Prominent Nigerians have strongly condemned the worsening insecurity across the country, expressing outrage at the continued killings by bandits, insurgents, and marauding herdsmen, particularly in Plateau and Benue states. Over 200 lives have reportedly been lost in the past two weeks alone.
Former Defence Minister, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (retd), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Most Rev. Lucius Ugorji, and the Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, are among those who criticised the government’s handling of the crisis.
Danjuma reiterated his call for citizens to defend themselves, insisting that depending solely on the government for protection was no longer viable. Speaking in Takum, Taraba State, he said, “We cannot continue to sit and watch while bandits, terrorists, and criminal gangs massacre our people unchecked.”
Similarly, Atiku Abubakar accused President Bola Tinubu of indifference, criticising him for staying abroad while Nigerians suffer. “Leadership demands presence,” Atiku said, citing examples of world leaders who returned home to address national crises. He described the Tinubu administration as “incapable and indifferent,” warning that the country was bleeding.
Bishop Matthew Kukah, in his Easter message, pleaded with the President to “bring Nigerians down from this cross of pain.” He lamented that insecurity, hunger, and poverty had worsened under the current administration, with bandits acting unchecked and terrorising communities. “Mr. President, Nigeria is reaching a breaking point,” he warned.
Pastor Tunde Bakare, serving overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church, called for an overhaul of Nigeria’s security structure. He proposed the creation of zonal security councils and the establishment of multilevel policing. Bakare warned that loss of public trust in the government’s ability to protect citizens could lead to dangerous consequences.
Echoing similar sentiments, CBCN President Most Rev. Lucius Ugorji described Nigeria as “a nation under siege,” decrying the rising cases of kidnapping and the government’s apparent lack of will to act. “Many Nigerians groan with anguished hearts as they behold a future that promises them little or nothing,” he said.
In Kebbi State, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) urged security chiefs to take responsibility, warning that if they escape earthly justice, divine judgment awaits. The state chairman, Venerable Ayuba Kanta, lamented the ongoing killings despite the presence of security forces.
Also reacting, the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) called on the federal government to act decisively. IPAC National Chairman, Dr Yusuf Dantalle, stressed that security and welfare are constitutional priorities and must not be ignored. “Enough of the bloodshed. There can be no meaningful development without public safety,” he declared.
As outrage mounts, the call for urgent and effective action to end the bloodshed and restore order continues to grow, with voices across religious, political, and civil society demanding leadership, empathy, and immediate intervention.
