Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Ambassador-designate Reno Omokri has asserted that Nigeria’s overall security situation has improved significantly over the past ten years, arguing that while localized challenges remain, the country is demonstrably safer today than it was in 2016.
Speaking on Channels Television on March 4, 2026, Omokri maintained that the current security environment is substantially better when compared with the intensity of violence and instability experienced a decade earlier. He said that where insecurity once dominated headlines across multiple regions of Nigeria, the present situation reflects progress, especially in the context of large public gatherings and tourism.
“In 2016, we were the third most terrorized nation in the world. Now, we are not even in the top five,” Omokri said during the televised interview. “If you look at last December, we had 1.2 million tourists come into Lagos. There was not one robbery, not one domestic incident, nothing significant happened. Nobody was killed.”
He cited specific examples of large-scale events where hundreds of thousands of participants and spectators gathered without major security breaches. Omokri pointed to the Argungu Fishing Festival in Kebbi State, which in February reportedly drew 50,000 fishermen and 500,000 spectators, and claimed “not one person was killed” and “no domestic incident” occurred during the celebration. He further referenced the Ojude Oba Festival held in June of the previous year, which he said attracted approximately 200,000 attendees from around the world without any significant security incidents.
“We have localized security issues,” Omokri acknowledged, “but the thing is that Nigeria is much better than it was ten years ago.”
His remarks reflect an argument frequently made by some analysts and commentators that, despite ongoing threats — including terrorism, kidnappings, banditry and communal conflicts — certain indicators of security and public order have shown improvement in recent years.
Supporters of this view point to increased deployments of military and police personnel in key urban and rural centres, more targeted counter-insurgency operations against extremist groups, and enhanced coordination among security agencies as factors that have, in their assessment, contributed to greater stability in parts of the country that previously experienced frequent attacks.
Tourism figures and the safe conduct of major cultural festivals are frequently cited as visible examples of improved security environments. Large gatherings that attract local and international visitors can serve as barometers for public confidence and logistical management, and Omokri’s references to visitor numbers and festival safety were framed to illustrate such progress.
Critics of this optimistic assessment, however, argue that localized data and isolated safe events do not fully capture the breadth of insecurity challenges that persist across multiple regions in Nigeria. They note that while security may have improved in some urban centres or major event locations, rural communities and transportation corridors continue to experience kidnappings, banditry and violent attacks.
Data from independent conflict monitoring organisations and civil society groups still record incidents of violence, including attacks attributed to armed groups in the North-East, Middle Belt and parts of the North-West. Patterns of kidnapping for ransom, ambushes on highways, and militant raids on remote settlements continue to cause civilian casualties, displacements and agricultural disruptions.
Responses from security analysts suggest that Nigeria’s security landscape is highly complex, with significant variability between regions and types of threat. Some experts emphasise the importance of differentiating between improvements in specific metrics — such as tourism inflows or successful large events — and the broader, everyday security experiences of communities confronting different forms of violence.
Omokri’s comments also arise against a backdrop of ongoing public debate over how security progress should be measured and communicated. Government officials and security agencies have increasingly highlighted “success indicators” such as recaptured territories, disrupted militant networks, and increased patrols in strategic areas. Meanwhile, opposition figures and civil society advocates have raised concerns about under-reporting of incidents in certain regions or statistical interpretations that they say paint an overly optimistic picture.
The Argungu Fishing Festival in Kebbi — one of the events Omokri cited — is a longstanding cultural celebration that draws participants from across Nigeria and West Africa. Its successful conduct without major incidents is often highlighted by event organisers and state officials as evidence of improved local security cooperation between community leaders and security forces.
Similarly, events like the Ojude Oba Festival in Ogun State, which attract large numbers of attendees, have in recent years increased security planning and collaboration between state authorities and private stakeholders to minimise risks to participants.
However, groups monitoring communal conflicts and rural security trends note that such successes coexist with ongoing challenges in areas where armed groups continue to operate with relative freedom. They point to reports of attacks in villages, markets, and farming settlements that have led to deaths and displacements, even as urban centres and festival locations remain comparatively secure.
National data compiled by independent researchers on incidents of terrorism and violence suggests that while Nigeria’s ranking in global terror statistics has fluctuated over the years, the country remains among the nations grappling with significant security threats.
Stone Reporters note that public assessments of national security often reflect competing narratives: official optimism rooted in specific achievements and statistical indicators on one hand, and ongoing community experiences of violence and insecurity on the other.
Experts emphasise that Nigeria’s security trajectory cannot be fully understood through single events or isolated data points alone. Comprehensive evaluation requires sustained, transparent reporting across rural and urban areas, and careful analysis of trends in violent incidents, displacement, economic impacts and social cohesion.
As debates continue, citizens and policymakers alike are watching how security strategies evolve and whether broader improvements — beyond high-profile events — can translate into tangible safety gains for all Nigerians in their daily lives.
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