By Sanity Multi-Efforts Forum SMEF
Security failures are being weaponized for political points. Opposition blames. Government defends. Meanwhile, bandits operate with more coordination than our response. This must stop.
SMEF exists to advocate for sanity in public affairs. Sanity means putting lives before party. It means judging every administration by one standard: Are citizens safer today than yesterday? Every government inherits problems. The measure of leadership is how relentlessly it solves them.
The evidence is painful. In Omugo, Oro-Ago community of Kwara State, 8 worshippers were taken from ECWA Church on March 22, 2026. Five are confirmed dead in captivity today. In Oyo State’s Oriire LGA, 46 students and teachers remain abducted since May 15, 2026, with at least one teacher killed. When schools and churches become hunting grounds, the future of the Nation itself is imperiled.
Protecting lives requires three non-negotiables. Intelligence sharing between federal, state and local actors. Welfare and morale for frontline security personnel. And civic education that teaches Nigerians to provide useful information without fear.
We must reject the narrative that insecurity is only about one region or one administration. Kidnappers do not check party cards. Therefore, solutions must also be non-partisan. Traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth groups and market associations all have roles.
Let us pray for victims and support security agencies lawfully. But let us also demand results. Nigeria cannot grow under the shadow of fear. Security must transcend politics.
