Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Professor Yusuf Olaolu Ali, has stressed the need for a converted effort in addressing the social vices plaguing the society.

Ali, who is the first Kuliya Ngeri of Ilorin Emirate, said this in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, at the sixth annual Ramadan Lecture organised by the ‘Knowledge Is Light Islamic Foundation’ (KILIF).

He urged forward-looking organisations, including the KILIF, to beam their searchlights on issues that would take the youths off the streets and evil ways.

The legal luminary applauded members of KILIF for setting up the organisation, saying that the rationale behind it shows that the founders are conscious of the hereafter.

“I want to commend this group for coming up this way. This is very great for us in Islam. But I want to say that during and after Ramadan, we must sustain the momentum of a gathering like this.

“We must treat contemporary topics of getting our youths off street and off evil ways. We must look at those things that are taking away respect from our space. Those things should be addressed.

“Do not let this group just be any other group. You should try to treat topics that would focus more on tackling issues in the society. Let us look at programmes that would attract elderly and that can proffer solutions to the challenges plaguing our society,” Olaolu said.

In his lecture titled “Eid-el-Fitr”, a retired Grand Kadi of Kwara State Shariah Court of Appeal, Justice Salihu Olohuntoyin Muhammad, urged Muslim faithful to avoid chanting political slogans during the Eid, but rather they should endeavour to engage in the praising of Allah right from home to Eid prayer ground.

He also encouraged Muslims to perform ritual birth on the day of Eid-el-Fitr and eat before heading for the sacred ground so as to secure bounty reward from the Almighty Allah.

In his remarks, the President of KILIF, Alhaji Oba Amosa, thanked members of the organisation and various donors for their support to the Islamic group.

Nigerians, including intellectuals and technocrats, often spend hours passionately debating developments in the United States and other distant corners of the world. Granted, Nigeria is part of the global community and cannot be insulated from international affairs. However, the intensity, emotionalism, and sometimes blind partisanship that characterize such engagements are both puzzling and troubling.

Even more baffling is that this fixation is often displayed by individuals presumed to possess high levels of learning, exposure, and analytical sophistication—people who, by virtue of their training, should ordinarily lead rigorous conversations about the urgent problems confronting their own society. It is a troubling paradox: a people who struggle to confront their immediate and existential challenges yet remain deeply preoccupied with events unfolding thousands of kilometres away. The imbalance is striking.

In a society grappling with security crises, decaying infrastructure, economic hardship, and uncertain futures for millions, one would expect sustained attention to domestic realities. Instead, the national attention span on matters affecting personal safety, community stability, and development is astonishingly short. Worse still, such attention often lacks depth, creativity, and analytical rigour. Critical thinking appears scarce, while ethno-religious emotions, masked under pseudo-intellectualism, increasingly dominate social discourse, public debate, and even governance.

This raises uncomfortable questions. Could this phenomenon be linked to the harsh material conditions in which many Nigerians live? According to recent multidimensional poverty indices, over 60 percent of the population—about 139 million people—experience poverty not merely as lack of income but as deprivation in education, healthcare, and living standards. When daily survival becomes the central struggle, long-term reflection and strategic thinking may become luxuries.

Or perhaps the explanation lies partly in how both the old and young have been educated. The system has largely failed to consistently produce critical thinkers and problem-solvers; instead, it has unleashed onto society a cognitively underprepared cohort of “educated illiterates.” The science of learning suggests that successive generations typically surpass their predecessors in cognitive development, but this trend appears to have stalled—if not reversed—in the current one. Countries like Nigeria are particularly affected. Where literacy levels hover around or fall below fifty percent in some regions, sustained critical engagement with complex national issues is, understandably, constrained.

Education is not merely the ability to read and write; it is the foundation of analytical reasoning, civic consciousness, and the discipline to distinguish between what is urgent and what is merely interesting. Yet, Nigeria’s foundational education system falls woefully short of this ideal. Evidence of this failure is stark. A report on primary-level learning proficiency across 47 African countries indicates that only 9.5 percent of Nigerian pupils attain minimum competency in reading and mathematics by the end of primary school. The implication is sobering: a vast majority are being advanced through the system without the basic tools required for meaningful learning, critical engagement, or informed citizenship.

Others may point to the powerful influence of religion. Nigeria is one of the most intensely religious societies in the world. Faith traditions provide meaning, comfort, and moral guidance to millions. Yet when religious identity becomes the dominant lens through which people interpret political and global events, emotional attachments to distant conflicts can overshadow engagement with local realities.

Perhaps, as some might cynically suggest, the Creator simply made it so for reasons beyond human comprehension. Whatever the explanation, one cannot escape the conclusion that Nigerians appear to suffer from a peculiar condition—a persistent tendency toward misplaced priorities.

Nothing illustrates this more vividly than the fascination with distant geopolitical conflicts. In recent times, public discourse across Nigeria—especially on social media—has been saturated with passionate debates about tensions involving the USA, Israel, and Iran. Opinions are fiercely expressed, allegiances declared, and timelines flooded with emotional arguments, and often oblivious of the fact that more than fifty percent of the information is either manipulated, AI-generated or outright fake.

Yet at the same time, terror continues to unfold within Nigeria’s own borders. Communities in the North-East live under constant threat from Boko Haram and ISWAP attacks. Villages in Benue and Plateau endure cycles of ethno-religious violence and armed herdsmen attacks. Rural communities across several states are repeatedly assaulted by bandits and kidnappers. Oil theft in the Niger Delta drains hundreds of thousands of barrels of crude daily, depriving the nation of vital revenue. In parts of the South-East, weekly “sit-at-home” orders have paralysed economic life and normalized a strange form of protest that punishes ordinary citizens.

These crises have had profound social and economic consequences. Tens of thousands have been killed, and over 3.9 million people have been pushed into IDP camps across the country, according to the United Nations. Economic activities such as agriculture and commerce have been severely disrupted, with some communities experiencing up to a 50 percent drop in output. Oil theft alone is estimated to cost the nation an average of $10 billion annually. Also an estimated, 2,000 settlements have been sacked, destroyed or brought under the control of terrorists, and insurgents across parts of the country – basically ghost villages.

Yet despite their devastating impact, these crises rarely command sustained national outrage or deep intellectual engagement. Deaths in places such as Woru, Nuku, and other rural communities quickly fade from public conversation. The massacre of over 160 innocent people and the kidnapping of more than 300 others—events that should provoke national soul-searching—are increasingly treated as routine occurrences. Tragedy has become normalized.

Instead of confronting these challenges directly, many Nigerians appear to prefer the soothing path of distraction or evasion. Idle hours—created in part by unemployment and underemployment—are often spent debating the problems of distant societies, as if an elixir. Social media platforms have become the primary arena for this phenomenon.

Here, the young and old, the educated and the uninformed, the politically active and the indifferent converge in endless debates about foreign affairs. A substantial proportion of online discussions among Nigerians revolve around international controversies rather than domestic issues. These debates are often driven by emotion rather than evidence. Individuals who show little interest in local governance or civic responsibility suddenly become fervent analysts of Middle Eastern geopolitics, American elections, or European conflicts.

Meanwhile, real crises unfold at home. Indeed, this collective distraction creates conditions in which grave security failures occur with insufficient public scrutiny. While public attention was fixated on tensions involving Iran, the US, and Israel, insurgent groups reportedly attacked and dislodged several military formations across parts of the North-East.

These incidents occurred in parts of Borno and Plateau States. In Borno, more than six military bases across several communities were overrun. Among the casualties were Lt. Col. U. Farouq, Lt. Col. S.I. Iliyasu, and Major U.I. Mairiga, alongside dozens of civilians. The tragedy occurred only a few months after Brig.-Gen. M. Uba paid the supreme price in Damboa. In Kanam LGA of Plateau State, terrorists ambushed and killed several military personnel including two commanders; Lt. H. Hassan and Capt. AU Hajji. Many civilians also lost their lives. The bloody week ended with a coordinated attack on Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, during which several neighbourhoods were bombed, causing dozens of fatalities, injuries, and wanton destructions.

Yet national attention remained largely fixed on distant conflicts. Only months earlier, it was the Russia–Ukraine war dominating conversations. Before that, other global controversies occupied the same mental space. The pattern is unmistakable: Nigerians repeatedly immerse themselves in the politics of other nations while their own house burns.

History offers a fitting metaphor. When the Roman Emperor Nero allegedly played music while Rome burned, it symbolized the dangerous folly of leaders and societies distracted during moments of crisis. Nigeria risks becoming a modern version of that ancient tragedy—a nation absorbed in peripheral matters while existential threats grow at home.

This is not merely a cultural curiosity; it is a national problem. Societies develop according to the priorities they set. Nations that progress are those whose citizens focus their intellectual energy on solving local problems, strengthening institutions, and demanding accountability from their leaders, instead of getting hooked on social media apps/platforms. A full-time chat culture of “sharing,” “forwarding,” and “posting” on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, ChatGPT, DeepSeek, etc, often without even reading them. It’s a new opium.

For Nigeria to move forward, a fundamental shift in public consciousness is required. Citizens must refocus their attention on the urgent realities confronting their communities. Personal responsibility must replace passive spectatorship. Communities must demand security, accountability, and effective governance. Intellectual discourse must prioritize solutions to domestic challenges rather than emotional engagement with distant conflicts.

Authorities must also rise to the occasion. Governments at all levels have a duty to address insecurity, strengthen institutions, expand education, and foster civic awareness. Leadership must guide the national conversation toward constructive engagement with Nigeria’s real problems.

Nigeria’s tragedy is not merely that it faces many problems; every nation does. The deeper tragedy is that its people have gradually become conditioned to live with those problems while investing their emotional energy in the crises of others. A society that treats its own disasters as routine but becomes animated by distant conflicts has clearly lost its sense of priority.

No nation has ever risen by obsessing over the problems of others while neglecting its own. Progress is built by citizens who confront their realities, demand accountability from their leaders, and devote their intellectual energy to solving challenges within their borders. Until Nigerians begin to do this consistently, insecurity will persist, institutions will remain weak, and development will continue to lag behind promise—descending into global ridicule and disdain, a reality many Nigerians who travel abroad can attest to.

The choice before the country is stark. Nigerians can either continue down the path of distraction—arguing passionately about foreign wars while their own communities bleed—or awaken to the urgency of their national condition. A people who refuse to focus on their own house should not be surprised when it collapses around them.

History is unforgiving to societies that ignore warning signs. If Nigerians fail to reorder their priorities, the verdict of the future will be harsh: that a nation blessed with immense human and natural resources allowed itself to drift—not because it lacked solutions, but because it lacked the collective seriousness to confront its own problems.

The time to refocus is now. Otherwise, the question “Why are Nigerians like this?” may one day be replaced by a far more painful one: “How did we allow it all to slip away?” – our nationhood, our global respect as a Black race, and even our personal integrity.
A.G. Abubakar
agbarewa@gmail.com

Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

A prominent Northern Nigerian group, under the aegis of the Arewa Discussion Group (ADG), has expressed profound shock and outrage over the recent spate of heinous attacks and mass killings targeting civilians across Northern Nigeria, saying it’s a ploy to subvert the 2027 general elections.

The spokesman for the Arewa Discussion Group, Dr. Garba Abari, while extending the group’s heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and the communities devastated by these senseless acts of violence during the holy month of Ramadan, specifically condemned the recent
massacre of worshippers in Zamfara State and the coordinated terrorist attacks in the Bukkuyum Local Government Area of Zamfara State, resulting in the brutal murder of at least 50 civilians.

The group expressed dismay that the attack lasted over 10 hours, with armed men on motorcycles storming the village of Tungan Dutse, firing indiscriminately, burning houses, and abducting scores of women and children despite early warnings to security forces.

It added: “We abhorred the desecration of a mosque in Kebbi State on February 25, 2026 as the sanctity of the Ramadan period was violated when suspected Lakurawa terrorists attacked a mosque in the Dadin Kowa community of Maiyama Local Government Area, Kebbi State. Worshippers were murdered in cold blood while observing their Tarawweeh prayers. At least five people were killed and several others injured in what police described as a reprisal attack.

“The return of bombings in Borno State: On March 16, 2026, the relative calm of Maiduguri was shattered by multiple coordinated explosions. At least 23 people were killed and over 100 injured in suspected suicide bombings that struck a hospital entrance, the Post Office area, and the Monday Market during the busy Iftar period. This represents one of the deadliest attacks in the city in recent years and a terrifying return of urban bombings.”

Aside from these high-profile attacks, the Arewa Discussion Group notes with grave concern the escalating violence and loss of lives and property across multiple states in Northern Nigeria. In Bauchi State, on March 1, 2026, armed bandits attacked Gwana community in Alkaleri Local Government Area, displacing 446 individuals from 73 households and leaving 55 people injured. The Alkaleri area has become a new hotbed of banditry, with communities like Digare, Kargo, Yelo, and Mansur witnessing repeated attacks, deaths, and abductions .

“On Benue State, the House of Representatives has raised the alarm over continued killings in Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency. On February 3, 2026, attackers invaded Abande and Anwase communities, killing at least 17 people. Another deadly assault on March 5, 2026, claimed 16 lives in Mbaav and Mbachoon communities. On March 13, 2026, suspected armed herdsmen attacked Ojatele community in Apa Local Government Area, killing at least 15 people and leaving many others injured or missing.

“In Plateau State, on March 13, 2026, heavily armed terrorists ambushed a patrol team in the Garga area of Kanam Local Government Area, killing approximately 20 security personnel, including soldiers and vigilantes. This represents one of the deadliest attacks on security forces in the region in recent times . Communities across Wase and Kanam LGAs have suffered repeated attacks throughout January, February, and March 2026.

“In Kwara State, recall that the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) has raised concern over worsening kidnappings across Kwara South Senatorial District. On March 11, 2026, suspected kidnappers killed an ECWA member, Omoniyi Ajise, in Oyatedo-Oro-Ago, Ifelodun LGA, and abducted his wife along with four other residents. Many farmers have abandoned their farms for fear of attacks, and several ECWA churches have been forced to close in affected communities . Meanwhile, on March 15, 2026, troops arrested three suspected terrorist logistics suppliers in Kaiama LGA who were planning to supply motorcycles to ISWAP/Boko Haram operatives.

“In Niger State, also recall that Governor Umaru Mohammed Bago has disclosed that over 300,000 persons have been displaced across 10 local government areas due to persistent insecurity . On February 28, 2026, terrorists killed at least 15 farmers in three separate attacks in the Malale axis of Borgu LGA.

“In other affected States, thousands of villagers have been displaced in Kebbi, Sokoto, and Adamawa states. In Adamawa, suspected Boko Haram fighters attacked Shuwari community in Madagali LGA in February 2026, killing 17 people and burning homes. In Sokoto, at least 28 villages in the Tidibale area of Isa LGA were deserted in January 2026 following threats from bandits.”

The Arewa Discussion Group has, therefore, expressed grave concern that the Northern Region is now under systematic siege by criminal non-state actors who operate with impunity, eroding the very fabric of state authority and threatening the survival of Northern communities.

Across Katsina, Zamfara, Kaduna, and Sokoto states, the group noted with grave concern that state governments have been forced into negotiating peace deals with armed bandit groups, a controversial experiment that signals the weakening of state authority, adding that these negotiations, while offering temporary respite, risk legitimizing non-state actors who have built their power on extortion, violence, and impunity. “When violence becomes a means of extracting concessions from the state, criminal networks are emboldened, and new groups emerge to exploit the same logic,” it added.

The ADG decried that armed groups now control vast swaths of territory across the North, such as Bauchi Plateau and Taraba States,where several communities have been completely deserted, while bandits now move freely at operate with impunity.

Due to massive displacements of people from their communities by the bandits and kidnappers, the group said humanitarian toll has now become sobstaggering, adding that in Niger State alone, over 500,000 internally displaced persons are scattered across Kebbi, Kwara, Kogi, Kaduna States, the FCT, and even the Benin Republic.

The group added: “These people were forced from their ancestral homes by the bandits hiding in the Kainji Lake National Park forest. These bandits are not mere criminals; they are architects of ethnic cleansing, driving entire communities from ancestral lands.

“In Kwara South, farmers have abandoned their farms at the peak of cashew harvesting season, their primary source of livelihood, for fear of attacks. Economic activities have been severely disrupted, and families pushed into hardship . This is a calculated strategy by non-state actors to starve communities into submission.

“The desecration of mosques during Tarawweeh prayers in Kebbi State and the murder of worshippers in cold blood represents an unprecedented assault on the spiritual heart of our communities. When criminals attack people at prayer, they declare war not just on the state, but on God Himself.

“The ambush in Plateau State that claimed 20 security personnel including soldiers and vigilantes demonstrates that these non-state actors now possess the firepower and tactical capability to confront and defeat uniformed forces . When terrorists can kill 20 security operatives in a single engagement, the state’s monopoly on force has been fundamentally breached.

“These criminal networks operate across state lines with impunity, shifting operations when pressure mounts in one area. They coordinate attacks, share intelligence, and maintain supply chains for weapons and motorcycles. They are not disorganized bandits; they are a parallel governance structure that has emerged to fill the vacuum left by the retreating state.”

The Arewa Discussion Group has, therefore, warned that “we are witnessing the slow-motion collapse of state authority in parts of northern Nigeria. Criminal non-state actors now tax communities, control forests, displace populations, dictate who can farm and who cannot, and kill with near-total impunity. This is the very definition of a region under siege.

“The Arewa Discussion Group views with grave concern the timing and coordination of these attacks spreading across virtually every corner of Northern Nigeria. We believe desperate elements are deliberately trying to undermine our already tenuous security situation ahead of the upcoming elections so that anti-democratic forces can capitalize on the chaos and subvert the people’s will. We must not allow them to succeed.

“These attacks are occurring against a backdrop of growing concerns about the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process. Civil society organizations have repeatedly warned of attempts to manipulate the system.

“The Arewa Discussion Group warns that the current wave of violence spreading across the North fits a disturbing pattern: creating an atmosphere of fear and instability that can be exploited to justify extraordinary measures, suppress voter turnout, and ultimately rob the Nigerian people of their democratic rights.”

The ADG has, therefore, called on the Federal Government to
immediately deploy enhanced security measures to protect vulnerable communities across all affected states and prevent further atrocities, ensure swift and transparent investigations to bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice, and determine whether there is any political linkage to the attacks, dismantle criminal enclaves in the forests and border areas, and end the practice of negotiating with armed bandits from a position of weakness.

It added: “The Federal Government should provide urgent humanitarian assistance and support to the survivors, the injured, the abducted, and the hundreds of thousands of displaced families across the region.

“Safeguard the integrity of the 2027 electoral process by resisting any attempts to manipulate the security situation for political gain and ensuring that all elections are free, fair, and credible.

“The Arewa Discussion Group stands in solidarity with the people of Nigeria during this difficult time. We call on all well-meaning Nigerians to remain vigilant and to resist any forces that seek to undermine our democracy through violence and intimidation. We urge the international community to closely monitor Nigeria’s security and electoral situation and to support efforts to restore peace and democratic integrity.”