By: Agande Richard Aondofa
Nigeria has once again drawn global attention following a strong warning from world powers about the nation’s growing insecurity, in what Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor described as “A Nation on Notice.” His thought-provoking piece titled “How the World Declared Nigeria Unsafe: 20 States on the Edge and a Nation on Trial” has sparked deep national reflection on the country’s fragile state of safety and governance.
In his detailed analysis, Barrister Ejiofor warned that the world has issued Nigeria a wake-up call — and this time, the signs are impossible to ignore.
According to him, the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) recently updated its travel advisory on Nigeria, cautioning travelers that at least 20 Nigerian states are now considered unsafe for citizens and foreign nationals. The advisory goes beyond the usual warning — it now urges visitors to come only “with prayers and extreme caution.”
Across the Atlantic, former U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly echoed similar concern, redesignating Nigeria as “a country of particular concern” over violations of religious freedom. The statement, described by Ejiofor as “dramatic and troubling,” hinted at possible international interventions if the situation fails to improve.
“The world is worried about Nigeria,” Ejiofor quoted Trump’s remarks, adding that the global map of caution now stretches from Maiduguri to Lagos, Kano to Port Harcourt, capturing every fault line of Nigeria’s security crisis.
The piece paints a grim picture of a country where insurgency, banditry, militancy, and violent crimes have become tragically routine.
In the North, insurgency lingers “like a stubborn wound.”
In the West, kidnapping and banditry have taken control of rural life.
In the Niger Delta, militancy and oil theft persist.
And in the South-East and South-West, abduction and violent crimes have become “common tragedies.”
“The so-called giant of Africa,” Ejiofor wrote, “has suddenly become a place the world advises its citizens to avoid. Ironically, we still hold our passport with pride.”
The legal scholar described the situation as more than a travel advisory — calling it a “diplomatic verdict.” He noted that when nations begin to reclassify Nigeria from an “investment hub” to an “extreme risk zone,” it signals that the world has lost confidence in Nigeria’s ability to protect lives and property.
Ejiofor lamented that the warnings from abroad merely reflect what Nigerians themselves already know: insecurity is no longer a regional problem but a national identity crisis.
However, he also offered practical solutions for turning the tide — though, as he cautioned, “time is running short.”
1. Re-engineering Security Architecture:
Ejiofor called for urgent reforms to empower intelligence agencies and local policing, upgrade rapid response systems, and stop the culture of reacting only after tragedies occur.
2. Rebuilding Public Trust:
He emphasized that “impunity is the fertilizer of insecurity.” When crimes go unpunished, lawlessness becomes culture. Justice, he said, must not only be done but also be seen to be done.
3. Engaging Foreign Partners:
The warnings from the UK and US, he argued, should not wound Nigeria’s pride but awaken its conscience. Collaboration — through shared intelligence, technology, and training — is the “smart path forward.”
4. Communicating Transparency:
According to Ejiofor, Nigerians deserve clarity, not silence. “A government that hides its failure loses the trust to lead recovery,” he wrote, insisting that progress must be measurable and public confidence restored.
Concluding his powerful piece, Barrister Ejiofor issued a solemn warning:
“The danger is no longer external — it is existential. The world has raised the alarm. Nigeria must decide whether to wake up or drift deeper into denial. Slogans cannot stop bullets. Excuses cannot calm fear. Only policies, resolve, and accountability can restore peace and dignity.”
As the world watches closely, Ejiofor’s essay stands as both a caution and a call to action — urging Nigeria’s leaders to listen, act, and reclaim the nation’s fading image before it is too late.
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