BEYOND STATISTICS: RESTORING SAFETY, DIGNITY AND PUBLIC TRUST FOR EVERY NIGERIAN
A Position Paper by Sanity Multi-Efforts Forum SMEF
When we read security reports, the numbers numb us. 50 kidnapped. 20 killed. But behind each figure is a family shattered. A child waiting for a parent. A business closed because roads are unsafe. Insecurity has become more than crime. It is a crisis of dignity and trust.
SMEF was founded on the principle that public order and safety are the foundation of development. Without safety, no IGR grows. No investment stays. No citizen thrives. The state bears primary responsibility for protection. Yet security cannot be achieved by government alone.
The tragedy in Omugo, Kwara State, where 5 of 8 worshippers abducted from ECWA Church on March 22, 2026 have died in captivity, should break every conscience. The community paid N20m ransom yet kidnappers demanded N300m more. In Oyo, families of 46 abducted students and teachers in Oriire LGA still wait for their children. These cases prove that kidnappers do not check party cards before striking.
We call for three things. One, security agencies must be equipped, funded and held accountable for results, not excuses. Two, communities must be organized through local vigilantes, traditional rulers and verified information channels. Three, citizens must resist the temptation to politicize every tragedy. A kidnapped Nigerian is not APC or PDP. He is simply Nigerian.
Our prayer is for the safe return of all captives. Our demand is for solutions that restore public trust. Nigeria deserves safety with dignity. Anything less betrays the social contract.
