Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
ABUJA, Nigeria – Hundreds of young Nigerians on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, marched to the National Assembly complex in the nation's capital, staging a peaceful but resolute protest to demand urgent and decisive government action to curb the escalating wave of banditry, terrorism and kidnapping that has left citizens terrified and communities devastated across the country. Operating under the banner "Nigerians Unite Against Terror," the demonstrators set off from the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and made their way to the gates of the National Assembly, carrying placards and chanting solidarity songs as they lamented the daily loss of lives, the economic paralysis caused by unchecked criminality, and the growing threat to the nation’s democratic stability.
Addressing journalists at the National Assembly gates, the convener of the protest, Isah Abubakar, declared that the security crisis had transcended political, ethnic and religious divides, becoming a collective tragedy that affects every Nigerian regardless of tribe, faith or party affiliation. He noted that bandits do not audit the political beliefs or religious practices of their victims before striking, and that the nation can no longer afford to treat insecurity as a problem of a particular region or demographic. “There are major highways in this country where, once it is 5:00 p.m., nobody dares to travel,” Abubakar said. “The citizens who are trapped, kidnapped, or killed on these roads are not just members of the APC, PDP, ADC, NDC, or PRP — they are Nigerians. The bandits are completely non-selective. They do not care about your religion, your tribe, your political party, or your traditions. This is a collective tragedy affecting us all.”
Abubakar argued that the primary purpose of any government is to guarantee the security and welfare of its people, and that citizens have both a constitutional right and a moral duty to demand accountability from those charged with protecting lives and property. He insisted that the time for condolence messages and reactive responses had passed, and that Nigerians now demand proactiveness, sincerity of purpose, and measurable results. “It is our responsibility as citizens to call the attention of those responsible for protecting lives and properties that enough is enough,” he declared. “It is time to deliver real security. We need to protect our children and stop our women from being subjected to horrific assaults in their homes and on their farms. We cannot continue to surrender our forests and rural communities to criminal elements who have absolutely no value for human life. We demand proactivity and absolute sincerity of purpose from our leaders.”
The convener further warned that bandits and terrorists have exploited the nation's porous borders and vast ungoverned forest corridors, turning them into operational bases from which they launch deadly raids on farming communities, schools, and travellers. He lamented that the government has been reactive rather than proactive, waiting for tragedies to occur before deploying security personnel, rather than preventing attacks before they happen. “Our bush is being left for people who don’t know the value of life to take over it. Our demands are simple: end insecurity,” he said.
Also addressing the protesters, co-convener Austin Okhai made a direct and urgent appeal to Nigeria’s retired military and intelligence elite. He urged former service chiefs, retired directors of the Department of State Services, former Inspectors-General of Police, and retired leaders of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to break their silence and offer their expertise to the current administration. He argued that many of these retired officers possess deep knowledge of the country’s security terrain and could provide invaluable guidance to the government if they were willing to step forward and collaborate. “We are calling on our former military and security leaders to step forward and collaborate. We must secure the country first before we can talk about politics,” Okhai said.
Okhai warned that if the security situation continues to deteriorate, it could eventually derail the nation’s democratic processes, as political participation becomes impossible in an atmosphere of pervasive fear. He pointed out that no political party can successfully hold a rally or mobilise voters if the people they gather cannot return to their homes safely. “No political party can successfully hold a rally or mobilise voters if the people they are gathering cannot return to their homes safely,” he argued. “This is why the supporters of all political leanings — whether they are APC, PDP, NDC, ‘Obidients,’ ‘Atikulates,’ or ‘Kwankwasiyas’ — must find a common voice to speak out against terror.”
To underscore the non‑partisan nature of the threat, Okhai pointed to the recent abduction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman in Kebbi State, a state governed by the APC itself. He noted that even a top political figure in a ruling party state was not immune to kidnapping, proving that no one is safe, regardless of their political connections or influence. “Even in a state controlled by the ruling party, the state party chairman is currently in the hands of bandits. The state is ruled by the APC. The bandits kidnap Muslims, Christians, and even traditional rulers. It is a crime that our former leaders are keeping quiet in the face of insecurity,” he said.
Okhai also called on the National Assembly to strengthen its oversight role by demanding strict accountability from security institutions regarding the management of funds allocated to defence and security operations. He argued that the National Assembly has a constitutional mandate to ensure that the billions of naira appropriated for security are properly utilised and that the security chiefs are held responsible for results. “The National Assembly has the right to demand accountability; it is part of democracy. What we need now is the collaboration of all citizens,” he said. He also stressed that while constitutional changes such as the establishment of state police and forest guards are being debated, these structures must be accompanied by adequate funding, rigorous training, and modern equipment to be effective. “The only power the bandits have over us is because they are armed with AK-47s. Even if we have state police and we do not arm them properly, it is still a waste of time,” he said, referencing incidents in Kwara State where forest guards were disarmed by bandits who then stole their motorcycles.
The protest ended peacefully after representatives of the National Assembly received a petition from the demonstrators and assured them that their concerns would be presented to the leadership of both chambers for consideration. The protesters, however, made it clear that they would not relent until concrete steps are taken to restore peace and security across the nation. They called on citizens to cooperate with security agencies by reporting suspicious movements and activities, and to refuse to harbour criminals in their communities.
The demonstration came against the backdrop of a wave of mass abductions and deadly attacks that have swept across Nigeria in recent months, including the abduction of over 40 schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State’s Oriire Local Government Area on May 15, who remain in captivity. It also follows the summoning of service chiefs by the House of Representatives earlier on Tuesday, where lawmakers demanded an account of how funds released to security agencies in the last six months had been spent. The growing public anger and frustration, now visibly spilling onto the streets of the capital, signals a deepening crisis of confidence in the government’s ability to protect its citizens. For the protesters at the National Assembly gates, the message was loud and clear: enough is enough, and action cannot wait any longer.
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