It was a quiet Tuesday 26th of May, 2026 evening in Lagos when my wife, a primary school teacher in the Lagos State public school system, calmly informed me that she would not be travelling to Ijebu Ode for this year’s Ojude Oba festival. Usually, the annual celebration is a remarkable display of Yoruba culture, colour, and heritage that attracts thousands of Nigerians from across the world. This time, however, her decision was shaped by fear rather than inconvenience such as finance, logistics, or family inability to get festive clothes.
A few days earlier, she had watched reports about the abduction of teachers and students in Oyo State, including the disturbing account of a mathematics teacher reportedly killed by kidnappers. Listening to her explain why she no longer felt safe making the journey revealed a difficult reality: insecurity is increasingly influencing how ordinary Nigerians live, travel, work, and even celebrate cultural traditions.
For more than two decades, security has consistently remained one of the largest areas of government spending in Nigeria. In the 2025 federal budget, over ₦6.85 trillion was allocated to the defence sector alone. State and local governments have also introduced various initiatives, including security meetings, community policing arrangements, and intelligence sharing systems aimed at addressing growing threats.
Despite these efforts, many Nigerians still feel vulnerable.
According to the Nigeria Security Tracker maintained by the Council on Foreign Relations, the country recorded more than 3,600 conflict related deaths in 2023. The Global Terrorism Index 2024 also ranked Nigeria among the countries most affected by terrorism worldwide. In many parts of the country, kidnapping for ransom, armed attacks, and communal violence have continued to disrupt normal life.
One of the most concerning aspects of the crisis is the increasing impact on schools and educational institutions. Attacks on schools create fear that extends beyond the immediate victims. They weaken confidence in education and create long term uncertainty for children, parents, and teachers alike.
The recent incident in Oyo State adds to a troubling list of school related attacks recorded in Nigeria over the years. Nigerians still remember the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls in 2014, the Kagara kidnapping in Niger State, the Tegina school attack, the abduction at Bethel Baptist High School in Kaduna, and attacks on schools in Kebbi and other states.
Between 2014 and 2024, security monitoring organisations and public reports documented hundreds of attacks affecting schools across different parts of the country. UNICEF has also repeatedly raised concerns about school closures linked to insecurity, particularly in vulnerable communities. Nigeria already has one of the highest numbers of out of school children globally, and insecurity continues to worsen the situation.
When schools become associated with danger instead of opportunity, the long-term consequences extend far beyond education. Families become reluctant to send children to school, teachers become anxious about their safety, and rural communities begin to lose confidence in public institutions.
For many years, there was a widespread belief that the South West remained relatively insulated from the worst aspects of Nigeria’s insecurity challenges. The region benefited from stronger civic institutions, commercial activity, and additional security initiatives such as Amotekun. However, recent developments increasingly suggest that insecurity is spreading into areas previously considered relatively stable.
The Oyo State incident did not occur within the traditional conflict zones of the North East insurgency or the heavily reported banditry areas of the North West. It happened in the South West. This naturally raises concern about the wider national security situation and the ability of existing measures to contain emerging threats.
Because my wife decided not to attend Ojude Oba, I also felt the emotional impact of that decision. Not necessarily because of a missed festival, but because insecurity had quietly become part of personal and family decision making. Across the country, many Nigerians now reconsider travel plans, avoid certain roads, or limit participation in public activities because of safety concerns.
It is important to acknowledge that security agencies and government institutions have recorded some progress in tackling insecurity. Nigeria’s security cooperation with international partners, including the United States, has contributed to intelligence sharing, counterterrorism operations, and the disruption of some criminal networks. There have also been improvements in coordination among intelligence agencies and law enforcement bodies in recent years.
However, many citizens still believe that these efforts have not yet translated into sufficient protection at the community level, particularly in rural and semi urban areas where attacks and kidnappings continue to occur.
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Farmers in several states still face threats while working on their land. Communities continue to experience violent clashes and displacement. In some cases, schools renovated with modern facilities and learning materials remain vulnerable to theft and criminal attacks because security around them is weak.
This reflects a broader policy challenge. Investments in educational infrastructure, rural development, and social services must be matched with investments in community safety and institutional protection. A renovated classroom cannot achieve its purpose if teachers and students remain afraid to use it.
Nigeria’s security challenges are also closely linked to economic and social realities. High unemployment, poverty, and limited opportunities create conditions that criminal groups and extremist networks often exploit. Sustainable security therefore requires not only military operations, but also economic reforms capable of improving living conditions and expanding opportunities for young people.
Political and religious tensions have equally contributed to instability in some parts of the country. This makes responsible leadership, national unity, and stronger civic trust essential components of any long-term security strategy. Reducing violence requires deliberate efforts to discourage divisive rhetoric, strengthen institutions, and promote accountability at all levels.
Section 305 of the Nigerian Constitution gives the President the authority to declare a state of emergency in situations where public safety and order have significantly broken down. Whether such a declaration becomes necessary is ultimately a matter for constitutional process and national leadership. However, there is growing public debate about whether the scale of insecurity in parts of the country now requires more urgent and coordinated intervention.
Supporters of stronger emergency measures argue that such actions could improve coordination among security agencies, accelerate resource deployment, reduce bureaucratic delays, and strengthen responses in vulnerable communities. Others believe reforms within existing constitutional structures may still be sufficient if properly implemented. What remains clear, however, is that insecurity has become one of the defining national challenges confronting the country today.
Every taxpayer contributes to the national security budget with the expectation that lives, schools, businesses, and communities will be protected. Teachers, students, farmers, traders, and families all deserve to feel safe within their own country. Security is not simply a policy objective. It is the foundation upon which education, economic growth, investment, and national stability depend.
Nigeria needs peaceful communities, secure roads, protected schools, and an environment where children can learn without fear and businesses can operate with confidence. Without security, many other national aspirations become difficult to achieve.
My wife will most likely attend Ojude Oba again in the future. Many Nigerians will also return to travelling freely, participating in cultural celebrations, and living without constant fear. But achieving that reality will require stronger institutions, sustained reforms, effective security strategies, and leadership capable of responding decisively to the scale of the challenge confronting the nation today.
Moshood Oshunfurewa is a Public Affair Analyst from Lagos, Nigeria
moshoodho2025@gmail.com