Nigeria's Intractable Terror: Author Calls for Frontal Confrontation Amidst Public Numbness

Nigeria is grappling with a pervasive and deeply entrenched wave of insecurity that has ravaged the nation for nearly two decades. The author argues that the prolonged exposure to terror has created a numbing effect on the populace, fostering attitudes ranging from denial and resignation to helplessness and anxiety.

“

Call it terrorism, insurgency, kidnapping or banditry. The strain that binds them together is the impact on the people, particularly the unarmed.

A significant point of contention highlighted is the semantic debate over whether to label certain criminal groups, such as bandits, as terrorists. The author dismisses this as a trivial distraction, emphasizing that the true measure of these acts lies in their devastating impact on ordinary citizens, particularly the unarmed. Regardless of the label, terrorism, insurgency, kidnapping, or banditry, the underlying strain is the fear and disruption inflicted upon the daily lives of Nigerians.

The article paints a grim picture of everyday life, where citizens can no longer take their safety for granted. For a substantial portion of the youth, who have grown up amidst this crisis, managing to stay safe is a constant reality. The pervasive insecurity is not confined to specific regions; what might have once been dismissed as a problem in the north has, as predicted, spread nationwide due to Nigeria's interconnectedness and the free movement of people and goods across state borders.

“

An average Nigerian wakes up in the morning and can no longer take his safety for granted. It’s that bad.

The author criticizes the tendency to compartmentalize the crisis, noting how some media outlets in the southern part of the country express concern only when the menace "gets too close" to their own areas, neglecting the suffering in places like Damaturu and Maiduguri. This myopic view, the piece suggests, sabotages a unified national response. The piece calls for a frontal confrontation with these criminal elements, asserting that Nigeria's geographical unity means that insecurity anywhere eventually affects everywhere, demanding a cohesive and decisive national strategy.

“

So, Damaturu and Maiduguri are not home enough?