Hundreds of young Nigerians on Tuesday gathered at the National Assembly in Abuja to call for national unity in the fight against insecurity, urging citizens to set aside political differences and support efforts to combat terrorism and violent crime across the country. The protesters said they could no longer remain silent while insecurity is being politicised.
Stressing that the challenge requires a collective national response rather than partisan divisions.
Carrying banners with inscriptions such as "Leaders from the ADC, PDP, and APC Should Rise in One Accord Against Insecurity", "Nigerians Unite Against Insecurity", and the hashtag #NigeriansUniteAgainstTerror, the demonstrators argued that no nation has ever defeated terrorism while divided along political lines.
Speaking during the rally, one of the organisers, Comrade Austin Okhai, called on former security leaders to contribute their expertise toward addressing the country's security challenges.
“We call on former military leaders, former service chiefs, former Directors-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), former Inspectors-General of Police (IGPs), and former Commandants-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to collaborate in ensuring that the nation's interests come first,” he said.
Okhai warned that insecurity is increasingly affecting political activities and everyday life across the country.
“No political party can successfully hold a rally when the people mobilised for such an event cannot safely return to their homes,” he said.
He emphasised that preserving the nation should take precedence over political ambitions.
“What is of paramount importance is that we first have a country called Nigeria. After that, we can discuss who becomes president, governor, or a member of the National Assembly,” he added.
Okhai also cited countries such as the United States, Israel, Pakistan, and Kenya, noting that despite facing significant security challenges, political actors in those nations do not exploit insecurity as a campaign tool.
Also speaking, Comrade Isah Abubakar described insecurity as a national crisis affecting citizens regardless of political affiliation, religion, or region.
“It is now clear that we are facing a very serious challenge. There are roads in Nigeria that people cannot safely travel on after 5 p.m.,” he said.
Abubakar noted that victims of insecurity cut across party lines, affecting members of the APC, PDP, ADC, and other political parties alike.
“It has become imperative for all of us to set aside our political and religious differences and collectively confront this monster called terrorism and insecurity,” he said.