Just when we thought we could finally sleep with both eyes closed, when we heard the fairy tale that Boko Haram was technically defeated, the terroristsĀ returned with a vengeance that should make every Nigerian shake his or her head in disbelief. The audacity! The sheer bloody audacity of āthese animalsā.
They didnāt just return quietly. No, these degenerates decided to announce their comeback by sacking entire military formations, carting away weapons worth millions, and leaving our brave soldiers fleeing to their villages like civilians. Is this the same military that was supposedly winning the war against insurgency?
Five soldiers were killed in Marte. Equipment destroyed. Commanding officersā vehicles stolen. New motorbikes meant to secure our communities are now in the hands of these murderers. If this isnāt a national embarrassment, then I donāt know what is.
But trust our leaders to always find someone else to blame. The Theatre Commander of āOperation Hadin Kaiā, Maj. Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar, wants us to believe that the problem is coming from āgreater Sahel region.ā What a convenient excuse!
So, our porous borders, which weāve been complaining about for decades, are suddenly relevant now?
Let me get this straight ā we had the insurgents on the run, declared them technically defeated, celebrated victory, and now theyāre back stronger than before. Someone needs to explain to Nigerians how this magic happened. Were our intelligence agencies sleeping? Were they too busy planning the next political campaign to notice terrorist movements?
The most infuriating part is listening to Governor Zulum cry about federal attention shifting away from the northeast.
āWe are losing ground,ā Zulum finally admits. Ground? Weāve lost entire communities! These terrorists are now using weaponised drones ā yes, drones! ā to carry out attacks. How did we get here? How did a group that was supposedly defeated suddenly acquire military-grade drones?
The tragedy on the Maiduguri-Damboa Road where two education officials were killed by IED while going to write their teaching exams tells you everything about the state of our security.
These people were trying to improve themselves, contribute to nation-building, and boom ā their lives were snuffed out by cowards who hid in forests.
But wait, thereās more! While Boko Haram is terrorising the northeast, bandits are having a field day in the northwest. Over 200 people kidnapped in just one constituency? Are you kidding me? In Zamfara State alone, communities are paying millions in ransom or watching their loved ones get butchered.
Aminu Sani Jaji, a lawmaker representing Kaura Namoda and Birnin Magaji Federal Constituency of Zamfara State at the House of Representatives painted a picture so grim that even Nollywood scriptwriters would reject it as too unrealistic. Sixty people were kidnapped in Banga, 10 were killed when ransom couldnāt be paid; 25 more were taken from Gabake. This is not a movie ā this is the reality of northern Nigeria in 2025.
And donāt get me started on the killer herdsmen wreaking havoc in the Middle Belt. Over 200 people were killed in Benue, Plateau, and Kwara states. Our country has become a slaughterhouse, and weāre acting like itās normal.
Some lazy analysts are already peddling the tired conspiracy that violence increases during political seasons. What nonsense! This is not about politics ā this is about our collective failure to take security seriously. We keep throwing money at this problem without any sustainable solution.
President Bola Tinubu, with all due respect, your economic reforms will amount to nothing if Nigerians are being killed daily. You cannot build a prosperous nation on graves.
Economic transformation without security is like building a house on quicksand.
The truth that nobody wants to hear is this: We never defeated Boko Haram. We just pushed them into hiding. Our military celebrated prematurely, politicians took credit for non-existent victories, and now innocent Nigerians are paying the price with their blood.
What we need now is not more press conferences or blame games. We need:
First, honest assessment of our security architecture. Stop lying to us about victories that donāt exist. If youāre losing, tell us youāre losing so we can all work together to find solutions.
Second, secure our borders properly. These weapons flowing in from the Sahel didnāt fly here on their own. Our border security is so porous that a blind man can see through it.
Third, invest in intelligence gathering. How can terrorists acquire drones without our security agencies knowing? Someone isnāt doing his or her job, and that person needs to be fired.
Fourth, support our military properly. These soldiers fleeing to their villages arenāt cowards ā theyāre under-equipped heroes facing better-armed terrorists. Give them what they need to fight effectively.
Finally, letās stop the ethnic and religious coloring of this issue. Terrorists donāt ask about your religion or ethnicity before killing you. This is a Nigerian problem that requires Nigerian solutions.
As I write this, somewhere in the northeast, a family is wondering if their loved one will return home alive. In the northwest, parents are teaching their children to hide when strangers approach. In the Middle Belt, farmers are afraid to visit their farms.
This is not the Nigeria we want. This is not the Nigeria we deserve. The government must act decisively now, or weāll all be attending more funerals than weddings.
The time for excuses is over. The time for action is now. Because if we donāt stop these killers today, tomorrow might be too late for all of us. The blood-soaked soil of Nigeria is crying out for justice. Are we listening?
Weāve got the edge. Get real-time reports, breaking scoops, and exclusive angles delivered straight to your phone. Donāt settle for stale news. Join LEADERSHIP NEWS on WhatsApp for 24/7 updates ā
Join Our WhatsApp Channel
