Nigeria’s security situation has descended to an alarming new low, with citizens now forced to plead with terrorists for their survival rather than relying on government protection. Political strategist Baba Yusuf issued this stark warning during a Friday appearance on Arise Television’s Prime Time, painting a grim picture of a nation in the grip of escalating violence and eroding public confidence in leadership.
The strategist outlined how 17 years of multidimensional security challenges have fundamentally broken the social contract between Nigeria’s government and its people. Yusuf emphasized that the relationship between citizens and the state has deteriorated so severely that Nigerians have largely abandoned hope in official security apparatus. Instead, many communities find themselves entering dangerous accommodations with the very forces terrorizing them, a troubling development that signals the collapse of government authority in affected regions.
Central to Yusuf’s critique is the question of accountability for Nigeria’s massive security expenditure. Despite billions of naira allocated to defense and security operations year after year, tangible improvements on the ground remain elusive. He called for comprehensive investigations into why such substantial financial commitments have failed to translate into meaningful protection for ordinary Nigerians, suggesting that without transparency and accountability, the cycle of insecurity will only intensify.
Drawing on constitutional provisions, Yusuf pointed to Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution, which empower both chambers of the National Assembly to conduct thorough investigations into matters of national importance. He argued that lawmakers possess the legal framework necessary to scrutinize security spending and demand answers about the persistent failure to achieve results. However, he criticized the current approach as predominantly reactive rather than proactive, with oversight mechanisms kicking in only after crises have already spiraled out of control.
The loss of public trust represents perhaps the most corrosive element of Nigeria’s security predicament. When citizens no longer believe their government can or will protect them, the legitimacy of state institutions crumbles. Communities caught between government forces and insurgent groups face impossible choices, often concluding that negotiation with terrorists offers better odds of survival than waiting for official intervention that may never arrive or may come too late.
Looking ahead, Nigeria faces critical decisions about how to restore security and rebuild public confidence. Without fundamental reforms in how security operations are funded, managed, and held accountable, the current trajectory suggests further deterioration. Whether the National Assembly will exercise its constitutional authority to demand transparency, and whether the executive branch will implement meaningful ces, remains to be seen. What is certain is that the current approach has failed, and Nigerians are paying the price with their safety, their livelihoods, and increasingly, their lives.
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