Rising Insecurity Could Push Nigeria Into Anarchy — Sen. Ningi

Senator representing Bauchi Central, Abdul Ningi, has warned that Nigeria risks descending into anarchy if urgent and decisive measures are not taken to address the country’s worsening insecurity.

Ningi, who stated this when he appeared as a guest on Politics Today on Channels Television on Thursday, said that although Nigeria is not officially at war, the current security climate reflects a state of deep confusion, with escalating attacks increasingly targeting high-ranking military personnel rather than just civilians.

He stated that frontline states like Borno State, Benue State, Kebbi State, Plateau State, Sokoto State, Kano State, and Zamfara State have no business engaging in politics at this time.

“We are sliding into anarchy if we don’t take the necessary measures,” he said.

According to him, the pattern of violence has shifted significantly, with armed groups now capable of targeting senior officers—including generals, captains, and lieutenant colonels—in what he described as near-daily incidents.

“Today they get the best of our armed generals, captains and lieutenant colonels, and it is happening in a manner that is almost an everyday affair.

“These are people who protect us. If those who are supposed to protect the nation cannot protect themselves, then where does that leave the rest of us?” he queried.

The lawmaker further said there is a need for accountability in governance, urging citizens to challenge leaders more directly over what he described as lapses in addressing insecurity.

“Insecurity is taking so long because people have not come to realise that they can push the government to do what they want. Anytime the government decides to do one thing and people lament, they go back and sit down and watch.

“People must push and challenge us to our faces that we are not doing the right thing,” he added.

Ningi also pointed to systemic weaknesses within Nigeria’s security architecture, citing critical manpower shortages across key agencies, including the Army, Navy, Air Force, and the Department of State Services (DSS).

“We are short of personnel in the Army, Navy, Air Force and DSS, yet they kill armed personnel,” he said.

He maintained that the crisis is largely internal and can be addressed if the government prioritises resources effectively and adopts a more strategic approach to combating insecurity.

“These are things that are internal and can be dealt with decisively if we prioritise our resources in fighting this insecurity.

“Our country is not in a state of war, but we are in a state of terrible confusion in terms of insecurity. Before this time, most of the security situations had to do with soft targets; today they get the best of our armed generals, captains and lieutenant colonels,” he added.