NIGERIA IS AT WAR, YET THE NATION REFUSES TO ADMIT IT
For more than a decade, Nigeria has been trapped in a vicious cycle of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, insurgency, and violent criminality. From the deadly campaigns of Boko Haram and ISWAP in the North-East, to the ruthless bandit networks terrorising the North-West, to separatist violence and criminal gangs operating in other parts of the federation, the country has become a battlefield where innocent citizens pay the ultimate price. The bitter truth is that Nigeria is at war. This is not a conventional war fought with tanks across international borders. It is an asymmetric war against terrorists, kidnappers, insurgents, and criminal syndicates who have relentlessly challenged the authority of the Nigerian state for years. Yet, despite the magnitude of the threat, the national response often appears fragmented, reactive, and insufficient. The statistics are frightening. According to security reports, Nigeria recorded approximately 12,954 deaths from violent incidents in ...