Nigeria is my country, and I love it. But one thing I wish could change is the level of insecurity. Things have gotten so bad that every Nigerian now lives in fear, whether in the city, the village, the north, south, east, or west. No place feels safe anymore.
Kidnapping has become a daily business in my country. It’s no longer something that shocks us, it has become normal. People are kidnapped from their homes, farms, schools, and even on major roads. You hear stories of entire families being taken and only released after collecting ransom. Some victims never return. Some are killed even after a ransom is paid. And the worst part is, the people behind these crimes are not hiding, yet nothing is done.
In the northern part of the country, bomb blasts and terrorist attacks continue to destroy lives and properties. Once peaceful places are now under constant fear, Boko Haram has killed thousands of people over the years. They have attacked places like markets, churches, mosques, and schools, people are now living in fear, and some people are homeless because of this.
One sad situation that moved me the most was the mass killing at St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, in June 2022 where armed men stormed the church during a Sunday service and opened fire on worshippers. Many innocent people, including women and children, were killed right inside the house of God. A place that should be safe, a place of peace, turned into a scene of bloodshed. That incident shocked everyone and clearly showed that nowhere in the country is safe anymore, I was shedding tears when I saw the news on social media without knowing anyone from that state.
Thieves break into homes, shops, banks, and even public buses in broad daylight. People get robbed at gunpoint in traffic. Sometimes, they shoot without warning. The roads are no longer safe to travel. Drivers and passengers are always alert because robbers can strike anywhere, anytime.
My brother was a victim just two weeks ago. He was coming home from work and got stuck in traffic. Right there in the middle of the jam, armed robbers attacked the vehicles. They pointed guns at people and collected their belongings. My brother’s phone, laptop, and wallet were all taken from him. He came home shaken and helpless. The worst part is that it happened in a busy area with many cars, yet the criminals operated freely and escaped without being caught. This is the kind of fear we live with every single day.
Even those in government know how bad things are. That is why they move with sirens, escorts, and heavy security. But what about the ordinary Nigerian who just wants to live in peace? What about the market woman, the student, the farmer, the teacher? Don’t we deserve safety too? It is very painful to see how life has become so cheap in this country. You can just be going about your day and end up dead. People now wake up and thank God just for surviving another night. That is how serious it is.
Every time I hear of another kidnapping, another bomb blast, another robbery, I feel angry. Not just because of the loss, but because I know it could have been prevented. I know that with the right systems and honest leadership, Nigeria can be safe. We cannot continue like this. Something has to change. Nigeria cannot develop if people are scared to go to school, work, or travel. We cannot grow as a country if citizens are afraid to move around.
So, if there’s one thing I could change about Nigeria, it would be the security situation. I would make sure that every Nigerian, no matter their tribe, religion, or location, can sleep peacefully at night and move freely during the day because safety is not a luxury, It is a right. And until Nigeria becomes safe, we will not truly enjoy our freedom.
This is my response to this week's episode of #hivenaija community prompt #hn-wk96
