By Victor Itodo Abuh
THE RESOURCE Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has issued a stark warning that Nigeria “is bleeding,” urging the Federal Government to take urgent and decisive steps to address the deepening insecurity affecting citizens across the country.
In a statement released in Abuja on Saturday, the organisation said Nigerians “have lived under the crushing weight of insecurity for far too long,” pointing to daily experiences of mass abductions, targeted killings and attacks on schools, farms and places of worship.
CHRICED criticised what it described as the government’s “slow, inconsistent, and detached” response to the crisis. It recalled that the Federal Government once claimed to have the names of terrorism sponsors but failed to disclose or act on the information. “Such inaction has fuelled public distrust and reinforced the perception that the lives of citizens are not a priority,” the group said.
The organisation expressed further concern that officials appeared to take security more seriously only after the President of the United States designated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” over religious violence.
It warned that fresh attacks on schools and churches underline the need for a properly coordinated, intelligence-driven security strategy.
CHRICED also questioned the government’s recent ambassadorial nominations, saying the continued recycling of political elites reflects “a dangerous pattern of exclusion” that sidelines competence and weakens public institutions.
The organisation praised the Senate for refusing to give the new Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (Rtd), the usual “take a bow and go” pass and urged lawmakers to show similar caution in screening ambassadorial nominees.
With politicians already positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 elections, CHRICED cautioned that national stability must come first. “There will be no 2027 elections without a functioning Nigeria,” it warned, insisting that insecurity now threatens both citizens and the survival of democracy.
The organisation called on government to act with urgency, prioritise citizens, punish those sabotaging national security and reveal individuals sponsoring terrorism. “The lives of citizens matter. Their fears are legitimate. Their safety is non-negotiable,” CHRICED said.
