Protest at the National Assembly with Demand for Declaration of State of Emergency on Security

By: Michael Mike

There was a mild protest at the National Assembly on Wednesday, calling on the Federal Government to urgently declare a state of emergency to address the nation’s deepening insecurity crisis.

The protest was organized by the Nigeria Movement for Actionable Change (NMFAC) led by activist and convener Faisal Sanusi Ibrahim.

The group made up of various civic and youth organisations said the demonstration was a patriotic effort to draw national attention to the alarming spread of kidnappings, killings and violent attacks across the country.

Ibrahim said: “We all know the current state of insecurity in the entire nation. No state is safe, no one is safe.

“We are here as Nigerians for actionable change, united beyond religion, tribe or culture, because insecurity affects everyone.”

While commending recent rescue efforts, NMFAC warned that the situation remains dire. Ibrahim noted that although 24 abducted victims were freed, 253 Nigerians remain in captivity in Niger State, with fresh kidnappings reported in Kwara and Kano just a day earlier.

“These attacks are sporadic. We cannot fold our hands,” he said.

The movement rejected any form of negotiation with armed groups, insisting that government must confront criminal elements decisively.

“We are saying a complete no to negotiation with terrorists people who sacked us from our homes and made our lives unbearable,” Ibrahim declared. “We need action, not dialogue with those destroying our nation.”

He cautioned against framing insecurity along religious lines, amid global concerns over alleged persecution.

“If we choose to treat insecurity based on religion, we will not solve it. Every religion is affected. Humanity is the first religion,” he said.

Ibrahim, known for his activism on social media, said young Nigerians are overwhelmed by a combination of insecurity, hunger, economic hardship, and multiple government-imposed subsidies.

“So many people are crying, so many are dying. Which problem do we treat first hunger or insecurity?” he asked. “Until everyone is safe, no one is safe.”

NMFAC demanded improved funding, equipment and firepower for security agencies, warning that criminals increasingly overpower military personnel.

“When soldiers run, you know there is a problem,” Ibrahim said. “Our security men are being killed every day. The government must supply them with the equipment needed to win this fight.”

He referenced the recent killing of a military general as a grim signal of escalating danger.

The group lamented that insecurity has made road travel perilous, forcing many Nigerians to rely on air travel—an option out of reach for the majority.

“Using an airplane is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity. But how many Nigerians can afford it?” Ibrahim asked. “Our roads are not safe not for civilians, not even for security agencies.”

NMFAC urged lawmakers to intervene urgently, insisting that only decisive national action can halt the spread of violence.

“We don’t know which school, which state or which community is next,” Ibrahim warned. “The problems in this country are overwhelming.

We are pleading with the government to do the needful so Nigerians can move safely from one place to another.”

Protest at the National Assembly with Demand for Declaration of State of Emergency on Security

Nigeria’s painful silence and selective outrage that fuels division

By: Zagazola Makama

Three months ago, two Catholic priests Fr. John Igwebueze and Fr. Matthew Eya of the Catholic Diocese of Nsukka, Enugu State were brutally murdered by armed members of the proscribed IPOB/ESN group, widely referred to as “Unknown Gunmen.” Their killers did not hide. They claimed responsibility. There was no ambiguity, no attempt to shift blame, no opportunity to invoke the usual scapegoats. And yet, the country remained disturbingly quiet.

There were no trending hashtags, no loud condemnations from pulpits, no fiery commentaries from activists, and no international calls for inquiries. The Catholic Diocese of Nsukka buried the slain priests quietly without protest marches, vigils, or the global attention that similar tragedies have elicited in the past.

Even the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has remained silent, offering no statement or call for international attention from Donald Trump or US Senator Ted Cruz since the attackers were not those they wanted to carry out the crimes. They are IPOB. During the burial, most media houses did not amplify the incident because it could not serve as fuel for the usual narratives.

International actors who regularly spotlight religion-related violence in Nigeria remained silent. There were no statements from groups in the United States or Europe. No congressional letters. No tweets from Christian lobby networks. No protests. Why? Because the attackers were not the preferred villains.

Bishop Wilfred Chikpa Anagbe of the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi who is one of the persons at the centre of the row between the United States (US) and Nigeria over alleged genocide against Christians in Nigeria, kept mum about this one.

This silence has once again exposed a painful reality in Nigeria’s narrative landscape: outrage often depends on who the perpetrator is, not on the value of the lives lost.

Ordinarily, the killing of Catholic clergy would spark national outrage. But this time, many of those who typically amplify such tragedies chose silence. The reason is painfully clear: since the perpetrators were not Fulani herdsmen the incident did not fit into the long-maintained narrative of “Christian genocide.”

Some clerics who routinely denounce attacks when they can be linked rightly or wrongly to Fulani herders avoided the subject. Until the burial, No high-profile Christian leaders issued statements.

In recent years, IPOB/ESN elements who are overwhelmingly Christians have carried out hundreds of assassinations, destroyed security formations, attacked civilians, extorted communities, and imposed illegal sit-at-home orders that have crippled the South East economy. Markets, transport systems, schools, farms, and small businesses have been devastated. Many families have been displaced. Yet, the loudest voices in Nigeria’s activist circles, civil society, and religious communities rarely connect these pains to IPOB terrorism. Even if it is glaringly that they committed the crime, they are often labelled as unknown gunmen.

In fact, a recent viral video showed IPOB elements attempting to stage-manage footage to implicate Fulani herders an intentional propaganda move to sustain their preferred narrative.

Meanwhile, evidence shows that extremists and criminals exist in every community Fulani, Igbo, Yoruba, Kanuri, Tiv, and others. While it is true that some Fulani-linked terrorists and bandit groups have committed horrific killings targeting Muslims, Christians, and people of other ethnic background, this does not justify labeling an entire ethnic group as violent. What Nigeria is witnessing today is not just violence it is a moral crisis.

Some people appear emotionally invested in associating crimes with certain groups. They find satisfaction in tragedy only when it confirms their prejudices. They amplify stories only when they can use them to demonize entire communities. And when the narrative does not fit what they want, they remain silent. This selective empathy not only destroys trust; it fuels hatred and deepens divides.

And when we generalize wrongdoing, when we blame millions for the crimes of a few, when we rejoice because a tragedy fits our bias, we become participants in violence psychologically, morally, and socially.

If Nigeria will ever heal, then our outrage must be consistent, our empathy must be unconditional, and our condemnation must be unbiased. We must mourn victims equally.
We must call out terrorists by their names, not by our preferred narratives. We must reject propaganda designed to pit Nigerians against one another. These values are the foundation of a nation that seeks peace, justice, and unity.

Until we abandon selective outrage, Nigeria will continue to bleed, not just from bullets, but from a poisoned conscience.

Nigeria’s painful silence and selective outrage that fuels division

UK, Nigeria Deepen Digital Cooperation Through Benchmarking and Knowledge Exchange

By: Michael Mike

The United Kingdom and Nigeria have advanced their strategic partnership through a high-level international benchmarking and knowledge exchange tour focused on end-to-end clearance of IT projects and procurement of public digital products and services.

Hosted by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), through its Digital Access Programme, in collaboration with leading UK digital governance institutions, including Government Digital Service (GDS), Public Digital, Crown Commercial Service (CCS), British Standards Institute, and the FCDO Cyber Policy Department, the programme brought together senior officials from Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Galaxy Backbone Limited (GBB), Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), for a week-long engagement in London from 23 to 28 November 2025.

The programme built on the UK–Nigeria Strategic Partnership’s pillars of economic development, governance reform, and technology cooperation, ensuring that both countries leverage digital innovation to drive inclusive growth and secured public services.

A statement on Wednesday by FCDA said for Nigeria, this engagement will inform the enhancement of NITDA’s IT Project Clearance, improve procurement efficiency, and embed global best practices in cybersecurity, digital and data governance of public digital services. This engagement reinforces the UK’s role as a trusted partner for Nigeria’s inclusive digital transformation journey as well as open access to the UK technology supply chain for the Nigerian market.

While delivering the opening remarks, Kashifu Inuwa Abduallahi, NITDA Director General represented by Dr Usman Gambo Abdulahi, the Director IT project Clearance Unit said: “At the heart of Nigeria’s reforms is our determination to improve government service delivery, reduce waste, strengthen cybersecurity, and build trust in public digital systems. Modernising the IT Projects Clearance process therefore is a key enabler to achieving this vision. I commend the UK’s FCDO through the Digital Access Programme for its consistent support to Nigeria’s digital transformation journey. I thank UK Government and its various departments for agreeing to share insights and expertise that will certainly strengthen our institutions and our nation’s governance capacity”.

The FCDO’s Director for International Science and Technology, Ros Eales, said:

“Nigeria is a key partner of the UK in the tech sector. Working with partner countries like Nigeria is to ensure that digital transformation works for all and is safe, secure, and sustainable. This becomes even more important in an era of rapid technological evolution, accelerated by AI, with all its benefits to reap and risks to manage.”

the British deputy high commissioner in Lagos, Jonny Baxter, said: “The UK is proud to stand as a key partner to Nigeria, leveraging our expertise to drive knowledge exchange in digital governance and institutional reform. This technical collaboration underscores our longstanding commitment to Nigeria’s digital transformation and to building strategic partnerships that deliver shared economic growth for both nations.”

Head of Digital Development in FCDO London, and global lead of the UK Digital Access programme (DAP), Alessandra Lustrati, presented the Digital Development Strategy 2024-2030 to the Nigerian delegation and highlighted the importance of supporting best practices in the digital transformation of government, to ensure digital services are accessible, open, and citizen-driven, within a safe and secure digital environment

UK, Nigeria Deepen Digital Cooperation Through Benchmarking and Knowledge Exchange