Network Urges Nigerian Govt To Address Escalating Insecurity, Rights Abuses

As the global campaign for the Sixteen Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence concludes and in observance of International Human Rights Day, the Media & Teens Network has issued an urgent call for the Federal Government of Nigeria to take decisive action against the rampant insecurity and human rights violations affecting citizens nationwide.

In a press release signed by Executive Director Lilian Okenwa, the organization highlights the recent traumatic events that have left the nation reeling.

One of the most shocking incidents involved the abduction of over 50 students from the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, where the Vice Principal was murdered.

This followed the harrowing seizure of 315 schoolchildren from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papri community, Niger State, on November 21, with the youngest victim being only six years old.

Though 100 of the kidnapped children were released this week, the fate of 165 others, including staff members, remains uncertain, plunging families into despair.

Reports indicate that three parents have died from heart attacks due to the stress of the situation, while many continue to question when the remaining children will return home.

The announcement also scrutinizes the Nigerian military’s recent actions, particularly following reports that the Nigerian Air Force conducted precision airstrikes in the Benin Republic to thwart a coup attempt. This has led to questions about the double standards in the government’s military response.

“If Nigeria can deploy missiles and execute tactical operations to defend another nation’s democracy, why has this same level of decisive force not been used to rescue Nigerian children or dismantle bandit groups operating within our borders?” the release questioned, echoing the sentiments of millions of concerned citizens.

Tragedy struck again in Adamawa State on December 8, when soldiers escorting the 23 Brigade Commander allegedly opened fire on peaceful women protesters in Lamurde, killing seven and injuring five others who are now hospitalised.

The women were demanding answers regarding the late arrival of security forces during coordinated attacks by armed militia, only to be met with violence instead. A community elder stated, “They were angry, frustrated, and tired of burying their own. They were demanding answers. Instead, what they got were bullets.”

In light of these events, the Media & Teens Network made several demands, including:

• Immediate and coordinated national action to rescue the remaining abducted schoolchildren in Niger and Kebbi States.
• Independent investigations into the killings of women protesters in Adamawa, with the public release of findings.
• A transparent review of military engagement protocols, especially concerning crowd control and civilian protection.
• Decisive domestic counterterrorism operations match the responsiveness seen in foreign interventions.
• Enhanced protection for schools, women, and vulnerable communities in line with Nigeria’s commitments under the Safe Schools Declaration.
• A national accountability framework for security agencies implicated in human rights violations.
• A renewed federal commitment to ending gender-based violence, mass abductions, and impunity across the country.

“Nigeria is at a breaking point,” Okenwa stated in the release. “Citizens can no longer live or die under the shadow of unchecked violence, kidnappings, military excesses, and systemic failures. It is time for the government to rise above political considerations and fulfill its primary constitutional duty: to protect the lives and dignity of its people.”