The concept of peace is now a relatively vague notion, marked by its fragility and perceived as slippery in society. Our Sudanese brothers can relate to this better; those facing the threat of insurgency, annihilation, terrorism, and human rights violations will appreciate peace than those who scarcely experience the trauma of burnt houses, lost loved ones, and hunger that accompanies it. Growing up in a conflict-prone environment, I have had my own share of experiences, so peace is one of the greatest gifts a government can give its citizens. The continued prevalence of national unrest is a sign of a nation in gradual decline.
Growing insecurity in Nigeria is not a single problem with a single cause. It is a knot of violence, displacement, and fear that has tightened in recent years. In the first half of 2025, at least 2,266 people were reported killed in attacks by insurgents and bandits, a sharp rise from the previous year and a reminder that violence has widened across the country.
At the same time, the humanitarian picture shows millions uprooted and dependent on aid. The UN reports that approximately 2.3 million people were internally displaced in 2025, and that around 7.8 million Nigerians will require humanitarian assistance this year. These are not statistics to trade in; they are the daily tally of lives interrupted, farms abandoned, and children out of school.
Kidnapping has become an almost normalised menace. That sense of vulnerability changes the way people move, trade, and educate their children. Markets slow, harvests go uncollected, and parents keep their children home because the road to school has become dangerous. Security is not only the absence of attack. It is the presence of freedom to live, work, and travel without fear. We must face the hard truths as Nigerians. Most violence is driven by organised criminal networks that profit from ransom and smuggling. Others stem from ideological insurgency that has morphed and spread beyond the northeast. Let’s not use poverty and unemployment as an excuse for violence, but they are fertile ground for recruitment, though.
Throwing more Nigerian youths into the forests and nooks without fixing intelligence and command culture will only produce more windows. We need better intelligence fusion between the military, DSS, and local security apparatus. We want to see that Justice is visible and swift. Too often, violence goes unpunished or is punished in ways that further alienate communities.
Strengthening the rule of law means equipping courts that hear conflict-related cases, protecting witnesses, and ensuring that arrests lead to fair trials. The judiciary has become an extension of the executive arm of government. The relationship between our courts and political actors is a love relationship; we must break it. Where the security forces are accused of abuses, an independent inquiry must follow, and responsible officers must be held to account.
Many of the places now most affected by banditry and kidnapping are areas where the states are vulnerable, hollowed by corruption and neglect of people’s sufferings. Rebuilding local governance means giving local councils the resources and authority to manage security, maintain roads, and run social programmes.
Nigerians are tired of the constant rhetoric from security chiefs; results should speak louder. The government should publish realistic, time-bound goals for reducing incidents of kidnapping, restoring access to key roads, and returning displaced people to their homes. Progress should be audited by independent bodies and reported publicly. Nigerians will accept and forgive imperfect progress if it is measurable and honest.
Ultimately, political leadership must cease seeking short-term headlines and instead focus on building a durable response. This entails coordinating with regional partners to curb cross-border flows of arms and fighters, investing in border management where necessary, and collaborating with the private sector to secure supply chains and revitalise local economies. When help from international communities becomes necessary, let’s not be too ashamed to seek help. It means investing in the long-term drivers of peace, such as education, land reform, and job creation, especially for young people.
Peace will not arrive as a miracle to us; it will come as the result of deliberate policy, steady investment, and painful reform. We must demand that our leaders treat it with the seriousness a nation deserves. The embarrassment of seeing our towns and farmlands overrun is not a fate we must accept. It is a challenge we must meet with clarity, courage, and patient discipline. The nation that protects its people secures not only land and property, but the dignity that makes life worth living.
