society
Nigeria Under Siege: Insecurity, State Failure and the Dangerous Normalisation of Violence
Nigeria Under Siege: Insecurity, State Failure and the Dangerous Normalisation of Violence.
By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com
“When Kidnapping, Bloodshed and Government Indifference Become the New Normal.”
Nigeria today stands at a dangerous crossroads, and one where insecurity has become routine, violence has been normalised and governance appears increasingly detached from the lived realities of its citizens. While the nation is not officially at war, the scale of killings, abductions and economic devastation inflicted by criminal networks rivals that of countries in active conflict. What makes Nigeria’s situation particularly tragic is not only the persistence of violence, but the disturbing sense of resignation with which it is treated by both the state and, increasingly, the public.
According to SBM Intelligence, a leading Nigerian security and risk analysis firm, at least 1,056 Nigerians were killed between July 2023 and June 2024 in kidnapping-related incidents alone. Within the same period, 7,568 people were abducted and kidnappers demanded over ₦10.9 billion in ransom, a significant portion of which was paid by desperate families and communities. In a separate but related report covering July 2024 to June 2025, SBM Intelligence recorded 4,722 abductions, 762 deaths, and ₦2.57 billion actually paid as ransom.
These are not SPECULATIVE FIGURES. They are verified, conservative estimates, the numbers that already paint a horrifying picture of a country under siege by criminal enterprises that operate with alarming confidence and impunity.
A State Losing Its Monopoly on Violence.
The German sociologist Max Weber famously defined the state as an entity that successfully claims the monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force within a given territory. By this classical definition, Nigeria is in profound trouble.
Across vast swathes of the country (particularly in the North-West, North-Central, and parts of the South-East) armed groups now determine who lives, who dies and who moves freely. Highways have become hunting grounds for kidnappers. Rural communities are routinely attacked, their inhabitants displaced or murdered. Schools are shut down, farmlands abandoned and entire local economies destroyed.
Security analyst Dr. Bulama Bukarti has repeatedly warned that Nigeria is facing a crisis of state authority, noting that “when non-state actors can repeatedly challenge the state without consequences, the legitimacy of government itself begins to erode.” This erosion is no longer theoretical; it is visible in daily Nigerian life.
The Ransom Economy: Crime as an Industry.
Perhaps one of the most damning indicators of Nigeria’s security collapse is the emergence of a ransom economy and a parallel criminal industry that thrives because the state cannot protect its citizens.
SBM Intelligence describes kidnapping in Nigeria as “an organised business model”, complete with negotiators, surveillance networks, informants and logistics chains. The billions of naira paid in ransom annually are not abstract numbers; they represent drained life savings, sold properties, ruined futures and families permanently traumatised.
Economist Dr. Muda Yusuf, former Director-General of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, argues that “the cost of insecurity in Nigeria goes beyond ransom payments; it includes lost investments, food inflation, unemployment and declining national productivity.” In effect, insecurity has become a tax on citizenship, one paid disproportionately by the poor and vulnerable.
The Moral Hazard of Amnesty and Appeasement.
Even more troubling than the violence itself is the state’s increasingly ambiguous response to it. In several instances, government officials and traditional authorities have publicly entertained negotiations with armed groups, offering amnesty, rehabilitation, or reintegration in exchange for “repentance.”
While dialogue is not inherently wrong, the moral hazard created by rewarding violent criminality is profound. When killers are pardoned without justice, accountability collapses. When armed men attend negotiations visibly armed while security agencies appear constrained or deferential, the message is unmistakable: the state is no longer feared.
Political scientist Prof. Jibrin Ibrahim has warned that “impunity is the oxygen of insurgency and banditry; once criminals realise there are no consequences, violence becomes self-sustaining.” Nigeria’s experience increasingly validates this grim assessment.
Leadership Optics and Public Anger.
Leadership is not only about policy; it is also about symbolism, timing, and empathy. In the midst of escalating killings and mass abductions, images of political leaders engaging in lavish spending, extensive foreign travel and political maneuvering for future elections have deepened public resentment.
The issue is not travel per se, but perceived indifference. When citizens are burying loved ones and liquidating assets to pay ransom, extravagant governance sends a chilling signal about priorities.
Renowned historian Prof. Toyin Falola has observed that “states collapse not only from external shocks but from the gradual alienation of leaders from the suffering of the people.” Nigeria today appears perilously close to that line.
A Society at Risk of Normalising Horror.
Perhaps the most frightening dimension of Nigeria’s crisis is societal desensitisation. Each new mass abduction, each village attack, each killing cycle generates outrage; for a moment. Then attention shifts. Life continues. Horror becomes routine.
This dangerous psychological adaptation is what philosopher Hannah Arendt described as the “banality of evil” to the point at which abnormal cruelty becomes ordinary through repetition and silence. When citizens begin to accept mass violence as inevitable, the final collapse is no longer sudden; it is gradual and quiet.
The Way Forward: Accountability, Not Excuses.
Nigeria does not lack solutions; it lacks political will. Experts broadly agree on key steps:
– Comprehensive security sector reform.
– Intelligence-driven policing.
– Swift and transparent prosecution of offenders
– Ending ransom payments through coordinated enforcement.
– Addressing poverty and unemployment that fuel criminal recruitment.
As Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka once warned, “The man dies in all who keep silent in the face of tyranny.” Silence (whether from fear, fatigue, or false optimism) is no longer a neutral act in Nigeria.
Final Reflection.
Nigeria is not yet a failed state; but it is a state in severe distress. The continued tolerance of mass insecurity, criminal profiteering, and leadership detachment risks pushing the nation beyond recovery. A society that shrugs at hundreds of deaths and thousands of abductions is not resilient; it is endangered.
History will not ask how many excuses were made. It will ask who acted and who chose comfort over courage.
*New Electoral Act Or Self-Coronation in Disguise?*
By Gbenga Shaba
Nigeria’s democracy has taken a dramatic turn with the signing of a new Electoral Act by Bola Ahmed Tinubu, following its passage by the National Assembly. At the heart of this new law is the complete removal of the delegate system, otherwise known as indirect primaries, as a method for political parties to choose their candidates. For decades, party delegates played a decisive role in determining who emerged as flag bearers. That era has now been brought to an abrupt end.
Under the new legal framework, political parties are left with only two recognised options for selecting candidates. The first is direct primaries, where every registered party member is entitled to vote in choosing the party’s candidate. The second is consensus, an internal agreement process in which aspirants voluntarily step down to allow a single candidate to emerge. By abolishing indirect primaries, the law eliminates the traditional system where a small group of selected delegates decides the fate of aspirants.
Supporters of the reform argue that this marks a shift toward internal democracy. The principle of one member, one vote gives broader participation to party faithful and reduces the influence of powerful blocs that once controlled delegate lists. In theory, it expands political power beyond a privileged few and places it directly in the hands of grassroots members. For many ordinary party members who previously had no voice during primaries, this could represent a significant opportunity.
However, critics see deeper political implications. They warn that while direct primaries appear more democratic on paper, the process could be easily influenced by those who control party registers and structures at the national level. Concerns are also being raised about the practicality, cost, and transparency of conducting nationwide direct primaries across all political parties. Without strong safeguards, the promise of wider participation may not necessarily translate into fairer outcomes.
Ultimately, the removal of delegates from party primaries represents a fundamental restructuring of Nigeria’s internal party politics. Whether this reform strengthens democracy or consolidates power will depend on how faithfully it is implemented. What is certain is that the landscape of political competition has changed, and Nigerians will be watching closely to see whether this new law deepens democratic inclusion or reshapes control in a different form.
Senate Backs FCC, Says Underfunding Weakens Constitutional Mandate
The Senate Committee on Federal Character has raised serious concern over the underfunding of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), warning that it is affecting the Commission’s ability to carry out its constitutional responsibilities.
During the 2026 budget defence at the National Assembly, the Executive Chairman of the FCC, Hon. Hulayat Motunrayo Omidiran, presented a proposed budget of ₦6.5 billion and explained that limited funding has reduced the Commission’s capacity to properly monitor and enforce compliance across more than 700 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
She stressed that without adequate funding, the Commission cannot effectively ensure fairness, balance, and equal representation in federal appointments and public service.
“We are appealing to the Senate to support improved funding for the Commission. Federal Character is a constitutional duty, and we must be equipped to enforce it effectively for the good of national unity,” she said.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Intergovernmental Affairs, Senator Allwell Heacho, described the funding gap as a serious setback.
“Federal Character is not optional. It is backed by the Constitution. The Commission responsible for enforcing it must be properly funded to deliver,” he stated.
He assured that the Senate Committee is committed to supporting the FCC to strengthen its operations and improve accountability across government institutions.
With support now coming from both the Senate and House Committees, the FCC is set to push for stronger enforcement and better service delivery nationwide
society
Apostle Suleman Lectures: Your Association Determines Your Acceleration; If You’re Gifted, You’ll Stand Out
Apostle Suleman Lectures:
Your Association Determines Your Acceleration; If You’re Gifted, You’ll Stand Out
Gifted people are always different. They stand out and never fit in because God uses them in a greater way, the servant of God and founder of the Omega Fire Ministries (OFM) worldwide, Apostle Johnson Suleman, lectures. Speaking about gifts, in particular, spiritual gifts, the ‘Restoration Apostle’ noted that every man is gifted by God. He stated in his sermon that gifts are the result of the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross.
While suggesting that where a man is most gifted is where he will be most lifted, Apostle Suleman declares that, to stand out in one’s generation, the person must be gifted.
“To be gifted is to be specifically empowered. To be gifted is to be supernaturally assisted to fulfil a task. Many of us are praying for helpers, but you cannot stand before helpers without anything to offer. A man’s gift maketh room. The more gifted you are, the more rooms you have (Proverbs 18:16). Man’s gift maketh rooms for him and bringeth him before great men. No Joseph appears before a Pharaoh until he has capacity to interpret his dreams. The king sent for Daniel because there was a gift in his life. He stood out because there was a gift he had. The problem is not getting helpers, when you have a gift, helpers will look for you. What is your gift?
Apostle Suleman asserts that every man possesses inherent, distinct gifts that are designed to be developed and deployed for a specific purpose. However, he emphasizes, identifying one’s unique gift or purpose requires a defining moment, experience, or interaction rather than just passive introspection, designed to unlock potentials that have been dormant.
“There is nobody that is not gifted. Everyone is equally gifted but it takes an encounter to discover your gift. The gift can be there, hidden but it takes an encounter to discover it. The Bible says Saul was met by Samuel and Samuel took a vial of oil and anointed Saul and said is it not because the Lord hath ordained thee to be captain over the people of God (1 Samuel 10:1). Saul was not a king of Israel, he was a captain. That is why his son, Jonathan could not step into the stool because kingship is by inheritance, but captain-ship is by appointment. So, when Saul met the prophet he began to prophesy. It takes meeting a man to enter the next season. Season is not a bait, it is a man. It takes meeting the right man. The second thing that empowered Saul to stand out was that he joined the right team; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
Highlighting that the people a man surrounds himself with, learn from, and follow, directly influence the speed and success of his life’s progress, the man of God submits that positive associations can accelerate man’s destiny, while negative associations can drive stagnation, delays, and limitations.
“Your association determines your acceleration. If you’re with the wrong people, you will get the wrong experiences. It is very important. Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly. Nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in company with scoffers. (Psalm 1:1,2,3). You start by walking with them. If you keep walking with them, you’ll soon stand with them. When you stand with them, you’ll sit with them. You must be extremely picky in your relationship. There are some people that should be made to know, because they’re not aware that they’re not your friends. They assume they are your friends but you have to let them know that you are colleagues not friends. You have to be very intentional because friends either add, subtract, divide or minus. You can’t have a friend who’s playing neutrality.
In your walk with God, when the enemy wants to destroy you he will introduce you to a strange company. Any company that kills your fear of God is a wrong company. The right company will make you think of heaven. A right company will want to make you live clean, pure and right. The right company will make you God-conscious. The right company is family-oriented. A right company will make sure you avoid conflicts. A right company will promote God not greed,” he counsels.
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