Mr. President, History Is Watching -By Prince Tunji Ogabi

There are defining moments in the life of every nation. Moments when leadership is tested not by promises, policies, or economic indicators, but by its ability to protect the lives and dignity of ordinary citizens..

The recent kidnapping of innocent school children and their teachers in Oyo State has once again reopened old wounds and awakened painful memories many Nigerians would rather forget. It has revived fears that have lingered for years and rekindled a national anxiety that no parent should ever have to endure; the fear that a child may leave home for school and never return.

For many Nigerians, the images and reports emerging from these incidents evoke memories of the tragic abduction of the Chibok girls in 2014. What began as a horrific security failure eventually evolved into a symbol of governmental helplessness in the eyes of many citizens. The incident dominated national discourse, shaped political narratives, attracted global attention, and significantly altered the country’s political landscape.

Beyond the infrastructure, reforms, and commendable strides recorded under your administration, the challenge of insecurity may ultimately become the most important measure of your presidency. It is already dominating public discourse and shaping political perceptions ahead of the 2027 elections. History offers a sobering lesson: the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction became the defining issue of the 2015 electoral cycle, fundamentally reshaping public sentiment and the nation’s political direction. In the wisdom of our Yoruba forebears, “Ikú tó pa ojúgbà ẹni, òwe ló ń pa fún ẹni”—the misfortune that befalls another is a lesson for those who remain.

History reminds us that insecurity is not merely a security problem; it is a political, economic, and psychological problem. It erodes public confidence, weakens institutions, discourages investment, and gradually undermines the legitimacy of government. Today, the danger extends beyond the kidnappings themselves.

The criminals understand the power of propaganda. They understand that every video released, every image circulated, and every display of the suffering of innocent victims serves a strategic purpose. Their objective is not only to extract ransom. Their objective is to instill fear, project strength, embarrass the state, and create the impression that the government is powerless.

This battle is therefore not merely being fought in forests and hideouts. It is also being fought in the minds of Nigerians. That is why this moment requires extraordinary leadership.

Mr. President, Nigerians have demonstrated remarkable patience. Despite economic difficulties, many citizens have continued to support and endure the reforms of your administration because they believe a better future is possible. Yet history has shown repeatedly that insecurity possesses the unique ability to overshadow every other achievement of government.

Economic reforms cannot flourish where fear reigns. Infrastructure cannot prosper where communities are unsafe. Investments cannot thrive where citizens doubt their security. Parents cannot celebrate economic statistics while worrying whether their children will return home safely.

This is why the present challenge demands a response so decisive, so coordinated, and so effective that it fundamentally alters the calculations of those who have chosen a life of violence.

History offers many examples. After years of uncertainty and repeated attacks, governments across the world have at various times used moments of national crisis to reorganize security architecture, strengthen intelligence gathering, dismantle criminal networks, cut off sources of funding, and relentlessly pursue those responsible for terrorizing innocent citizens.

The lesson is consistent. Violent actors gain confidence when they perceive hesitation. They retreat when they encounter overwhelming pressure. Criminal enterprises thrive when their sponsors remain untouched. They collapse when the entire ecosystem supporting them is dismantled.

Therefore, this moment should not be viewed merely as another kidnapping incident. It should be treated as an opportunity to launch a comprehensive national offensive against every network of kidnapping, banditry, terrorism, and violent criminality operating across Nigeria.

The kidnappers are only the visible face of a much larger problem. Behind them are informants, suppliers, financiers, collaborators, individuals who profit from instability and insecurity.
The fight must therefore extend beyond the trigger men in the forests to the economic and logistical structures that sustain them. Every available lawful instrument of the Nigerian state must be deployed. Intelligence agencies must work in unprecedented coordination.

Security forces must be empowered with the resources necessary to dominate criminal strongholds.
Financial networks enabling criminal activities must be identified and disrupted. Communities willing to cooperate with security agencies must be protected and encouraged.

Most importantly, the government must visibly demonstrate that the safety of Nigerian lives remains its highest priority. The Nigerian people need reassurance. They need confidence, they need evidence that their government possesses both the capacity and the determination to prevail.

Across the nation, tempers are frayed, Anxiety is rising. Patience is being tested. But moments such as this also present leaders with an opportunity to leave an enduring legacy. Some leaders are remembered because they governed during difficult times, others are remembered because they confronted difficult times and changed the course of history. Mr. President, this is one of those moments.

The country is watching, the world is watching, history is watching. The victims deserve rescue, their families deserve hope, the nation deserves peace.

Nigeria deserves a government response that leaves no doubt that the lives of its citizens are sacred and that those who prey upon the innocent will find no refuge anywhere within our borders. The time for decisive action is now, not tomorrow, not next month.
Now!

Because every day that passes without a decisive shift in momentum strengthens the confidence of those who seek to undermine our nation. And everyday that passes with firm and effective action strengthens the confidence of the Nigerian people.

The true strength of a nation is measured not by the power of its enemies, but by its resolve to defeat them. This is the moment to act. This is the moment to lead. And this is the moment to reassure every Nigerian that the safety of our people remains the first duty of the government.

Prince Tunji Ogabi is a public affairs commentator, community development advocate, and public administrator who writes on governance, leadership, and public policy.