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Editorial

Security Personnel And Rights Of Nigerians

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Following the confirmation by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) of the index case of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Nigeria on February 27, 2020, the federal and some state governments, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) administration, intensified efforts to contain the spread of the virus with the implementation of NCDC Guidelines on personal hygiene and social distancing.
However, because of rising cases of the virus from March till date, President Muhammadu Buhari announced total lockdown of FCT, Lagos and Ogun States to give seal to the affected governments’ initial tough restriction of movements and public gatherings. In the same token, other state governments have issued ban on public gatherings, closed their borders, schools, markets, and other public places, including imposition of curfew in some cases, and enforcement of subsisting NCDC Guidelines to curb the spread of the pandemic.
To ensure compliance with the directives, security personnel, including the military and paramilitary operatives were drafted to enforce the law. But the security personnel’s law enforcement strategy has sparked outrage and condemnation from millions of Nigerians, who have complained about the application of brute force, crass human rights abuses and brazen show of impunity and unmitigated lack of discipline against unarmed civilians across states.
In his reaction, the Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Tony Ojukwu, appealed to law enforcement agencies to avoid any act of torture, cruelty, inhuman and other degrading treatments against the citizens as they enforce compliance to the federal and state governments’ directives to contain the spread of Coronavirus in the country.
He drew attention to Article 2 of the Convention Against Torture and other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading or Punishment which explicitly states that “each state party shall take effective, administrative, judicial or other measures to prevent acts of torture in any territory under its jurisdiction… No exceptional circumstances whatsoever, whether a state of war, a threat of war, international political instability or any other public emergency, may be invoked as a justification of torture. It is imperative to note that an order from a superior officer or public authority cannot provide an alibi for any security personnel to perpetuate acts of torture or cruel treatment against innocent citizens.”
Similarly, the Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, Osai Ojigho, tasked Nigerian authorities to adopt a rights respecting approach and give clear instructions to security agencies not to abuse their powers as the nation tightens its effort to tame the COVID-19 pandemic, which compelled the authorities to impose lockdown and inter-state movement restrictions.
“While acknowledging the size of the challenge and efforts made by authorities to fight COVID-19 across Nigeria, we are also concerned by reports and videos circulating on social media showing violations of human rights, that include beatings by law enforcement agencies tasked with ensuring compliance with the lockdown,” she said.
The AI added, “As the nation observes the lockdown, the rights of citizens must be respected and protected, including the right to health care, security, and access to sufficient food and water. The lockdown must have a human face; enabling people to have access to vital needs and relief for those who can no longer earn a living since the majority of Nigerians are daily earners and live below poverty line. The national response to COVID-19 must be inclusive to ensure that prisoners, internally displaced persons and other marginalized and vulnerable communities are not left out at any stages of the fight against the virus”.
The Tide shares these concerns, and joins millions of Nigerians, civil society and rights groups who feel similar sentiments to challenge authorities of the various security agencies and the military to ensure that their personnel deployed to manage the situation play by the rules, and ensure that innocent civilians are not unnecessarily assaulted, humiliated or embarrassed while struggling to manage their lives in this difficult time. The sentiments are borne out of the desire to ensure that the nation’s democracy is nurtured to maturity as one of the strongest in the world.
We agree with the response of Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Frank Mba, that, “All police officers deployed for the enforcement of these restriction orders must be professional, humane and tactful, and must show utmost respect to the citizenry”.
While we affirm the measures taken by the federal and state governments to tame this contagious disease as well as the efforts of various health workers who have exhibited professional and patriotic zeal to contain the pathogene and ensure the safety of all Nigerians, we believe that security personnel deployed to enforce the restrictive social distancing measures must be tactful. These measures are in the interest of the public and, therefore, should not in any way be abused by those charged with the responsibility of enforcing them. Civilians too must respect uniform personnel deployed to enforce the law, and always obey extant government directives in order not to be found wanting.
This is why we appeal to law enforcement agencies across the country to ensure that they carry out their lawful duties in this regard without unduly violating the rights of Nigerians. In particular, any act of torture, cruelty, inhuman and other degrading treatments should not be employed in enforcing compliance. We, therefore, caution security agencies to be courteous and ensure they do not unleash punishment that will further inflict pains on the already traumatised members of the public. Respect for other people’s rights must be paramount, irrespective of the circumstances. And intimidating innocent civilians with guns procured with taxpayers’ money must not be tolerated anymore. That is our stand!

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Editorial

Benue Killings: Beyond Tinubu’s Visit

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The recent massacre in Yelewata, Benue State, ranks among Nigeria’s deadliest attacks of
2025. While official figures put the death toll at 59, media reports and Amnesty International estimate between 100 and 200 fatalities. This atrocity extends a decade-long pattern of violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where Beacon Security data records 1,043 deaths in Benue alone between May 2023 and May 2025.
President Tinubu’s visit on 18 June—four days after the 14 June attack—has drawn sharp criticism for its lateness. This delay echoes a history of inadequate responses, with Human Rights Watch documenting similar inaction in Plateau and Kaduna states since 2013, fuelling a culture of impunity. The attack lasted over two hours without meaningful security intervention, despite claims of swift action.
The violence bore hallmarks of genocide, with survivors recounting systematic house burnings and executions. More than 2.2 million people have been displaced in the region since 2019 due to comparable attacks. Data show Benue’s agricultural output falls by 0.21 per cent in crops and 0.31 per cent in livestock for every 1 per cent rise in violence.
Security forces continue to underperform. No arrests were made following the Easter attacks in April (56 killed) or May’s Gwer West massacre (42 killed). During his visit, Tinubu questioned publicly why no suspects had been detained four days after Yelewata, highlighting entrenched accountability failures.
The roots of the conflict are complex, with climate change pushing northern herders south and 77 per cent of Benue’s population reliant on agriculture. A Tiv community leader described the violence as “calculated land-grabbing” rather than mere clashes, with over 500 deaths recorded since 2019.
Government interventions have largely fallen short. The 2018 federal task force and 2025 Forest Guards initiative failed to curb violence. Tinubu’s newly announced committee of ex-governors and traditional rulers has been met with scepticism given the litany of past unkept promises.
The economic fallout is severe. Benue’s status as Nigeria’s “food basket” is crumbling as farms are destroyed and farmers displaced. This worsens the nation’s food crisis, with hunger surges in 2023-2024 directly linked to farming disruptions caused by insecurity.
Citizens demanding justice have been met with force; protesters faced police tear gas, and the State Assembly conceded total failure in safeguarding lives, admitting that the governor, deputy, and 32 lawmakers had all neglected their constitutional responsibilities.
The massacre has drawn international condemnation. Pope Leo XIV decried the “terrible massacre,” while the UN called for an investigation. The hashtag “200 Nigerians” trended worldwide on X, with many contrasting Nigeria’s slow response to India’s swift action following a plane crash with similar fatalities.
Nigeria’s centralised security system is clearly overwhelmed. A single police force is tasked with covering 36 states and 774 local government areas for a population exceeding 200 million. Between 2021 and 2023 alone, 29,828 killings and 15,404 kidnappings were recorded nationally. Proposals for state police, floated since January 2025, remain stalled.
Other populous nations offer alternative models. Canada’s provincial police, India’s state forces, and Indonesia’s municipal units demonstrate the effectiveness of decentralised policing. Nigeria’s centralised structure creates intelligence and response gaps, worsened by the distance—both physical and bureaucratic—from Abuja to affected communities.
The immediate aftermath is dire: 21 IDP camps in Benue are overwhelmed, and a humanitarian crisis is deepening. The State Assembly declared three days of mourning (18-20 June), but survivors lack sufficient medical aid. Tragically, many of those killed were already displaced by earlier violence.
A lasting solution requires a multi-pronged approach, including targeted security deployment, regulated grazing land, and full enforcement of Benue’s 2017 Anti-Open Grazing Law. The National Economic Council’s failure to prioritise state police in May 2025 represents a missed chance for reform.
Without decisive intervention, trends suggest conditions will worsen. More than 20,000 Nigerians have been killed and 13,000 kidnapped nationwide in 2025 alone. As Governor Hyacinth Alia stressed during Tinubu’s visit, state police may be the only viable path forward. All 36 states have submitted proposals supporting decentralisation—a crucial step towards breaking Nigeria’s vicious cycle of violence.

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Editorial

Responding To Herders’ Threat In Rivers

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Community leaders in Etche Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State have raised the alarm over spiralling insecurity, rampant land encroachment, and the growing menace of herdsmen attacks that are devastating their communities.
At a recent stakeholders’ forum convened with state authorities and headed by the Commissioner of Police, Mr Olugbenga Adepoju, the leaders implored the Rivers State Government to act urgently. They warned that criminal activities have collapsed essential services, including healthcare and education, plunging residents into hardship.
Mr Adepoju, representing the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Rtd), visited Etche as part of a broader fact-finding mission aimed at evaluating community challenges and formulating targeted responses rooted in local feedback.
Hon. Onyenachi Nwankwor, Administrator of Etche LGA, underscored the intensifying threat posed by herdsmen. He reported that farmlands are being seized, with armed herders allegedly extorting inhabitants and presenting serious risks to lives and property.
Farmers have been uprooted from their ancestral lands, severing generational ties and undermining their livelihoods. The abandonment of fields jeopardises food security and frays social cohesion, inflaming tensions and stoking fears of escalating conflicts over land and resources.
Women of Ogoni ethnic nationality, particularly in Luusue Sogho, Khana LGA, have decried escalating herders’ attacks on their farms, which are upending livelihoods and engendering fear. The systematic destruction of crops erodes economic stability and imperils food security, worsening malnutrition.
Similarly, women farmers in Ejamah, Eleme LGA, protested the destruction of their crops. They carried remnants of ruined harvests to the Eleme Police Station in a desperate plea for justice and protection.
A particularly harrowing incident was recorded in Afam Uku, Oyigbo LGA, where herdsmen reportedly attacked farmers, leaving two dead. The assault also resulted in the destruction of crops and displacement of numerous farming families.
Despite the Open Rearing and Grazing (Prohibition) Law No. 5 of 2021 designed to curb open grazing, violations persist. There is renewed demand for rigorous enforcement, swift arrests, and prosecutions to send an unequivocal message that lawlessness will no longer be condoned.
With a state of emergency declared in Rivers State, the onus is on every indigene and resident to proactively prevent any escalation into a full-blown crisis. Complacency is not an option; vigilance and cooperation with authorities are paramount. Crucially, security operatives must understand the heightened sensitivity of the situation and act decisively to maintain law and order.
Security agents must actively monitor vulnerable areas, identify potential flashpoints, and intervene promptly to avert unrest. Timely and resolute action is vital to restoring normalcy and forestalling larger catastrophe.
A sustainable solution lies in transitioning from open grazing to ranching, supported by policy and funding. Additionally, local peace committees should spearhead dialogue and mediation. Only through concerted action, inclusive dialogue, and strict law enforcement can Rivers State build a future of peace and shared prosperity.
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Editorial

Democracy Day: So Far…

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Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999 marked a watershed moment in the nation’s political history. After enduring nearly 16 years of successive military dictatorships, Nigerians embraced a new era of civil governance with the inauguration of President Olusegun Obasanjo on May 29, 1999. Since then, the country has sustained a democratic system for 26 years. But, this democratic journey has been a complex mix of progress and persistent challenges.
The formal recognition of June 12 as Democracy Day in 2018 by former President Muhammadu Buhari acknowledged a long-standing injustice. The annulment of the 1993 presidential election, Nigeria’s freest, betrayed the democratic aspirations of millions. That it took decades to honour this date reflects the nation’s complex relationship with its democratic memory.
One of the most momentous successes of Nigeria’s democracy has been the uninterrupted civilian rule over the last two and a half decades. The country has witnessed seven general elections, with power transferring peacefully among different political parties. This is particularly notable considering that prior to 1999, no civilian government had completed a full term without military intervention. The peaceful transitions in 2007, 2015, and 2023 are testaments to Nigeria’s evolving democratic maturity.
Electoral participation, while uneven, has also reflected a level of democratic engagement. In 2003, voter turnout stood at about 69 per cent, but this figure dropped to approximately 34.75 per cent in 2023, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Although the declining turnout raises concerns, it also highlights the increasing expectations of the electorate, who demand credible and transparent elections.
Another area of progress is the growth of a vibrant and free press. Nigerian media has played a crucial role in holding governments accountable and fostering public discourse. Investigative journalism and civil society activism have exposed corruption and human rights abuses. The rise of social media has further expanded the democratic space, enabling young Nigerians to mobilise and advocate for change, as evidenced by the 2020 #EndSARS protests.
Judicial independence has seen mixed results. On one hand, the judiciary has occasionally demonstrated resilience, such as in landmark rulings that overturned fraudulent elections or curtailed executive excesses. On the other hand, allegations of political interference and corruption within the judiciary persist, undermining public confidence in the legal system’s impartiality.
Nigeria’s democracy has also facilitated the decentralisation of power through the federal system. State governments now wield some autonomy, allowing for experimentation in governance and service delivery. While this has led to innovative policies in some states, it has also entrenched patronage networks and uneven development across the federation.
Despite these successes, Nigeria’s democratic journey faces formidable problems. Electoral integrity remains a critical concern. Reports from election observers, including those from the European Union and ECOWAS, frequently highlight issues such as vote-buying, ballot box snatching, and violence. The introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and electronic transmission of results in 2023 elections showed promise, but technical glitches and alleged manipulations dampened public trust.
Corruption continues to be a pervasive issue. Nigeria ranks 145th out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index, with a score of 25/100. Democratic institutions meant to check graft—such as anti-corruption agencies and the legislature—often struggle due to political interference and weak enforcement mechanisms.
Security challenges have also strained Nigeria’s democracy. Insurgency in the North East, banditry in the North West, separatist agitations in the South East, and herder-farmer conflicts across the Middle Belt have collectively resulted in thousands of deaths and displacements. According to the Global Terrorism Index 2024, Nigeria ranks as the eighth most impacted country by terrorism. The government’s difficulty in ensuring safety erodes public confidence in the state’s capacity and legitimacy.
The economy poses another critical remonstrance. Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita stands at approximately $2,400 as of 2024, with over 40 per cent of the population living below the national poverty line. High unemployment and inflation have fueled discontent and disillusionment with democratic governance, especially among youth. Without addressing economic grievances, the democratic dividend will remain elusive for many Nigerians.
Ethnic and religious divisions further complicate Nigeria’s democratic consolidation. Politicians often exploit identity politics for electoral gains, exacerbating social tensions. Although federal character principles aim to promote inclusiveness, they have also sometimes fostered a quota mentality rather than merit-based appointments.
Gender representation remains inadequate in Nigeria’s democratic institutions. Women occupy less than 10 per cent of seats in the National Assembly, one of the lowest rates globally. Efforts to pass gender parity bills have faced stiff resistance, highlighting deep-seated cultural and institutional barriers to female political participation.
Civil liberties, while constitutionally guaranteed, are under threat. Crackdowns on protesters, restrictions on press freedom, and surveillance of activists reveal an authoritarian streak within the democratic framework. The controversial Twitter ban in 2021 exemplified the country’s willingness to curb digital freedoms, prompting domestic and international criticism.
The political crisis in Rivers State embodies broader democratic struggles. Attempts to control the state through undemocratic means expose weaknesses in federal institutions and the rule of law. Immediate restoration of democratic governance in Rivers State is vital to preserving Nigeria’s democratic integrity and institutional credibility.
Local governments remain under the control of state governors, depriving citizens of grassroots democracy. Last year’s Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy is promising, but state-level resistance threatens its implementation. Genuine autonomy would bring governance closer to the people and foster democratic innovation.
As we mark Democracy Day, we must honour the sacrifices of Chief M.K.O. Abiola, Kudirat Abiola, Femi Falana, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Pa Alfred Rewane, President Bola Tinubu, and countless others, who fought for Nigeria’s freedom. As democracy in Nigeria continues to evolve after 26 years, this day should inspire action toward its renewal. With despotism and state failure as real threats, both citizens and leaders must take responsibility—citizens by demanding more, and leaders by delivering. Excuses are no longer acceptable.

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