NIGERIA: MAXIMUM PAINS FOR GREATER NUMBERS OF PEOPLE — SIR DELE ABIOLA

"Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure. It is for them alone to point out what we ought to do, as well as to determine what we shall do. On one hand the standard of right and wrong, on the other hand the chain of causes and effects, are fastened to their throne" — Jeremy Bentham.

The ultimate reason behind the postulation for the creation of a sovereign modern State and government as the agency of state is the  ultimate satisfactions and the realizations of human personality. This , Kant had treated in his famous dictum, that morality consist in treating persons as ends  and not as means, and for this same too, Jefferson courageously affirmed when he said the government exist to protect and realize the inalienable rights of man.

Among the inalienable and natural rights; right to life, self defense among others.

For the society to escape the Hobbesian state and the survival of the fittest, where lives was described as nasty, brutish, poor, solitary and short. The existence of state and it's agencies enable individuals to submit parts of these inalienable rights to state for equitable redistribution of justice with fairness and equity.

The above defined the primary responsibilities of the State as primarily protection of lives and properties, and provisions of essential services which are beyond the capacity of the individuals. The resources which would have hitherto based on the survival of the fittest placed in the domains of the State and it's agencies.

In the pre slavery Africa and pre colonial era, communalism thrived among the people, communities and cleans. The survival of the fittest had no place contrary to today's Africa States especially Nigeria in particular which had long ago returned to primitive acquisition era by the privileged few/minority who are for the sake of their greediness, become the agents of enemies without as they themselves emerged the enemies within against anything that that Will lead to the common good of the land.

The comparisons and acceptability of governments, regime by regime have absolutely been based on the two sovereign masters as postulated by Bentham, pains and pleasures as occasioned by the wellbeing of the majority starting with the protection of the inalienable rights of man — protection of lives and properties, and provisions of essential services to the citizenry.  While Jeremy Bentham called for maximum pleasures for greater numbers of people, it has been maximum pains for greater numbers of people in Nigeria by any standard of measurement.

In the cases where a State failed in these primary responsibilities, it is also natural for the man to reclaimed his inalienable rights to ensure his survival, in this regard, the society may eventually resumes/return to the Hobbesian state before any regrouping to ensure orderliness. This maybe inevitable when all necessary provisions and institutional redresses have failed. Nigeria under this current civilian regime is toying such a line.

Insecurity in Nigeria today is in all fronts starting with insecurity of lives and properties of the Nigerian citizens ranging to the socioeconomic perils where citizens are most concerned again. The sociopolitical sphere of our national life that should afford the people the opportunity as occasioned by maximum pains, in what to do, especially for leadership redress and change via ballots have been compromised already. The just concluded Ekiti governorship election clearly portrayed what to come by in the 2027 general elections with already dilapidated and fractioned opposition political parties, courtesy of the incumbent's agenda to perpetuate itself even in the face of abysmal failures.

The compromised electoral umpire in the country (Independent National Electoral Commission - INEC) allegedly gave to the pro Terrorists APC led government, over 400,000 uncollected voter cards that undermine the outcome of the said election in favour of the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC.

As the abysmal failures of the Tinubu led APC government is more glaring to the whole wide world with numerous victims of insecurity across the length and breadth of our country innumerable, and many living in perpetual fear, redeeming our present unsavoury image in the international community as a crime conquered nation, giving hope to the citizens that they are saved seemed an uneasy tasks as sociopolitical system is firmly captured already by a group using insecurity as a weapon for both wealth and power capturing.

This insecurity, it has become impossible for the watching world and Nigerians in particular not to believe that the government of the day at all tiers and the security hierarchies at their command have allowed insecurity to deteriorate to this level of daily peril and bring our country totally to her knees because some unpatriotic elements in position of policy, decisions and actions benefit from the protracted reign of terrors and insecurity in our country.

It is an unarguable truth that today, virtually no inch of Nigeria soil, from the far north to the south, is safe for her citizens. This is a direct by-product of leadership failure in the government's foremost constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and properties.

Nothing is wrong with the Nigerian State except leadership failures as a result of compromises, and ineffectiveness as a result of incompetency. The country can no longer be managed by those who claimed that they loved the country, have the fear of God but lack capacity to deliver, who have lost touch of the reality of the modern governance.

Sir Dele Abiola 

Has Nigerian State ever been without damming security challenges? No. From slavery and pre colonial days, and after the Independence to Civil war and even till date, the geographical entity called Nigeria has always been a land of intermittent pogroms. Only that the state and government apparatus especially post civil war have been living up to the expectations of the people compared to the situation since the APC leadership emergency since 2015. Terrorism in today's Nigeria, without much argument can be adjudged as the state owned and sponsored institution and indeed a very lucrative institution for that matter but at the expenses of the happiness of the common man and the interests of the majority of the citizenry served as the alternative for gone for the satisfaction of the greediness of the minority who firmly captured the country. 

Nigeria of today is caught in a deplorable quagmire where, gradually to this time, our farmers can no longer access their farms and many villages have been deserted as a result of bandits' attacks and plunder, and mass abduction for ransom, leading to food shortages in our dear land. Sadly, this has further deteriorated to an all-time nightmare where innocent and tender school children and their teachers have joined the menu of terrorist abductions and massacre. The recent been in Oriire Local government of Oyo state, is a condemnable trend in the strongest term.

Today, the country's leadership have failed us in all major primary purposes and reasons for the existence of Governance in the first instance. The protection of lives and properties which comes first as the primary responsibility of government have been betrayed. 

Secondly in the socioeconomic arena, the provisions of essential services by the government have ever been at zero level while the unsecured and unprotected citizens have been subjected to heavy and maximum taxations. For NIGERIANS Since the emergence of APC leadership in 2015 till date, it has been maximum pains for greater numbers of people.

Contrary to the country's leadership claims, terrorists are not prodigal sons , nor are they our brothers and as such no  genuine and patriotic individuals will approve negotiations with the criminals threatening our existence , let alone training and their reabsorption into any State institution, except those profiting from the discomfort of the majority. THE WHOLE SALES TERRORISM, KIDNAPPING AND BANDITRY ALL OVER THE COUNTRY CAN NOT STAND.

Keeping quiet by Nigerians can no longer help anyone, Nigerians must ensure the country's leadership is accountable and ensure the school children and others in the captivity of the bandit terrorists are brought back home safely by any means possible by both the federal and state governments' collaboration. 

If the leadership compromised and the desires to profit from our collective pains are removed, Nigeria State have the capacity to make the country a safer place for all and sundry.

IMMEDIATE AND LONG TERM SOLUTION TO AVOID EVENTUAL RETURN TO STATE OF NATURE

1. Immediate securing of our schools (public and private) with deployment of existing security operatives or creation of a special paramilitary cadets for this purpose. Closures of schools can never be a good ideal.

2. Empowerment of 50 percent of Nigerian Youths in agriculture and agro-allied businesses will compelled the drastic reduction of banditry.

3. Practical teaching and learning system in all of our educational institutions to produce self-dependent , self-reliant and productive individuals who will not be jobless or writing applications after graduation.

4. Firmly and effectively securing our boarders.

5. Publishing names and prosecuting financials of terrorism in Nigeria as well as the prosecution of terrorists by death penalty.

6. Compensation for the victims of terrorism and their immediate families.

7. Satellite and drones deployment will minimize the collateral damages on the parts of our security personnel.

8. Alternatively, Citizens should be fully armed for self defense.

WITH PAIN ON THE THRONE DITCHING OUT MAXIMUM TORTURES FROM NORTH TO SOUTH, EAST TO WEST, NIGERIANS NEED TO DEVELOP A BLUEPRINT AND ROADMAP FOR POSITIVE CHANGE THAT WILL LEAD THE COUNTRY TO THE DESIRED POLITICAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC STABILITY THAT THE CITIZENS DESPERATELY DESIRED. 

A GENERATIONAL CHANGE IN THE COUNTRY'S LEADERSHIP IS A PANACEA.

Sir Dele Abiola 

oluabiola81@gmail.com

Tehran is prepared to respond if necessary - Iran’s parliament speaker dismisses Trump threats

The Iranian parliament speaker who is also the head negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has dismisses the US threats, saying Tehran is prepared to respond if necessary.

The Tehran’s delegation walked out of the talks with the US in Switzerland in protest against threats made by US President Donald Trump, Iran’s state-affiliated Tasnim news agency reports, citing a source close to the Iranian negotiating team.

American President Donald Trump has threatened the Iranian officials in Switzerland that they won’t make it back to Iran if they close the Strait of Hormuz while Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu bombs Lebanon.

According to Fox News, Trump says he spoke with Iranian officials and told them, "You close the Strait of Hormuz and you won't have a country." He also told them, "You won't even make it back to your fucking country."

Despite this claim Iran has closed the Strait of Hormu adding that the ceasefire agreement must be respected by both the US and State of Israel.

Ghalibaf has said the US should be careful with its statements, warning that Iran’s armed forces are "ready to respond".

Tehran dismissed claims that an agreement has been reached with the United States on reducing its enriched uranium stockpile, insisting that nuclear issues are not part of the current round of talks and will not be discussed until Washington fulfills key obligations under the memorandum of understanding. 

Iran's Fars reported that Tehran insisted that implementation of commitments related to Lebanon, sanctions relief, maritime restrictions, and frozen Iranian assets must come first. 

Iranian officials also stated that IAEA Director Rafael Grossi has no role in the ongoing negotiations.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Sunday that $6 billion frozen assets in Qatar will be returned to Tehran as part of a preliminary deal between Iran and the US. “With the start of the negotiations from today, the $6 billion we have in Qatar will also be unfrozen and returned to our country,” Pezeshkian said in statements carried by the state broadcaster IRIB.

Trump warned Iran of new powerful strikes over the situation in Lebanon. "Iran must immediately stop their highly paid proxies in Lebanon from causing trouble"

G7 photo op: Neither I Nor Italy Ever Beg" — Prime Minister Meloni fires back at Trump

 

A G7 photo op has turned into a full-blown international spat as Italian Prime Minister Meloni fires back at Trump

US President Trump had slammed Italian PM Giorgia Meloni after she publicly sounded off, rejecting his claims that she repeatedly asked for a photo with him, calling his comments "completely made up."

 Meloni said: "There is one thing he should remember: neither I nor Italy ever beg."

Donald Trump accused Meloni of wanting to be friends again after the U.S. military victory over Iran and suggesting she was trying to boost her political standing at home.

His response ended with a blunt message: "No thanks!"

“President Trump, these constant, unprovoked attacks are senseless. " As for my popularity, being your friend certainly has not helped it, nor does it depend on my relationship with you. My popularity depends on my ability to defend Italy’s national interest, and that is exactly what I have always done.

"That is also what I did regarding the American military bases in Italy. Their use is governed by agreements that we have always respected, and that cannot be violated as long as I am Prime Minister. Italy remains a sovereign nation."

'In any case, my popularity is none of your concern. I suggest you focus on yours.”

Meanwhile, Iranians are just coming out of American and Israeli war more stronger than ever. American allies refused to join the war against Tehran.

Iran's negotiating team led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has left Tehran for Switzerland ahead of technical talks with the United States, which Pakistan says will start on Sunday. US Vice-President JD Vance is also expected to join them in Switzerland, CNN reported citing a US official.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is also part of the Iranian delegation, according to the reports by Tehran outlets.

The team also includes Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati and Ali Bagheri Kani, the deputy for international affairs at the secretariat of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.

Kazem Gharibabadi, a deputy foreign minister, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei and Deputy Oil Minister Hamid Boord are also accompanying the delegation.

Following Israel's continuous bombing in Lebanon, Iran's Khatam al-Anbia Headquarters has announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic.

Tehran said the move was taken in response to what it called a U.S. violation of the war-ending memorandum of understanding, ongoing Israeli ceasefire violations, continued killings in southern Lebanon, and Israel's failure to withdraw from the area.

Lebanon health ministry confirmed over 4000 killed by Israeli attacks.

Iran described the closure as only the "first step" and warned that further measures could follow if the situation continues.

The Rapture, the Capture and the Rupture of Today's Labour Party

Apagun 

On the beautiful morning of January 19th 2026, every member of the Labour Party was expecting a judgement that will make or mar the political party that has been entrenched in a long legal battle of ownership, but was greatly disappointed that the judgement had been adjourned. The atmosphere was tensed as everyone can sense prevailing danger, sniffing a tilt from the cliff of the mountain, whosoever side that received the shocks will definitely lose the locks to the national Secretariat. It was adjourned to 21st of January, as some believed it was not too bad but to some like me, I was jittery.

Then came the moment, I couldn't muster the courage to monitor it live, but moments after the historical judgement, news filtered out, it was a moment of intense pleasure, joy, or overwhelming ecstasy. A moment the supporters of the Nnenadi Usman's faction was raptured!

*The Rapture: When mandate vanishes into thin air*  

While we were enraptured and jubilant, some disappointed and dissatisfied political apologists quickly reconvened together watching closely as the events unfolded, switching allegiance and repositioning themselves at the highest level, mediating and negotiating positions down to the grassroots at the expense of those who sought, aligned, fought and were greatly persecuted for standing up for this today's leadership of Labour Party yesterday. I can vividly remember November 17th 2024, when we broke out of the Abure faction to declare our support for the Caretaker Committee and inaugurate the Interim Executive Committee (IEC) of the Ogun State Labour Party, under heavy security at the expense of our blood, televised and broadcasted through Arise TV, Channels TV, published by Tribune, Punch, Vanguard and several bloggers.

Hence, our invitation to the Labour House during a retreat organized by the NTC, the Labour Movement and the Caretaker Committee when the horizon was opaque and the hope was slim. We gave Obiora Ifoh, some hard nuts to crack as he was forced to be making several counter press conferences and releases against us in order to quel the political inferno that would have consumed Abure if not checkmated, while Com. Tokunbo Peters, my dear brother, the erstwhile Publicity Secretary in Ogun State was given a sleepless nights as he engaged us day after day while we continued to wax stronger. We became a nightmare to Mr.Kehinde Sogunle and Com.Lookman Abiodun Jagun who was the State Chairman.

Now, think of the state Congress as an altar after surviving threats, persecution, unlawful arrests, defamation of characters, contempts as the Patriots are being sidelines while the traitors were being rewarded as we were being misrepresented, misconceived by reason of the calculated propaganda. During the Congresses, Delegates voted, winners are called, hands are raised. That moment should be a rapture: a lifting of the people's choice into public record. Instead, the national leadership performed a surgical mutilation. Results were edited mid-air. Names of actual winners were replaced by those who did not even participate before the communique cooled. While the report by the INEC clearly shows Apagun Olaolu Samuel emerged winner as the Chairman and published by the INEC through their notice board, the falsified memo to the INEC by the national leadership of the party states otherwise, causing confusion and frictions within the state structures.

It’s like a referee blowing the final whistle, the stadium erupts, then someone in the VIP box rewinds the tape and declares a different team scored. The crowd still heard the cheer, but the scoreboard was rewritten. That’s not correction. That’s erasure. If internal democratic processes are not allowed to thrive and prevail in democratic institutions, definitely like Fela said, "Democracy can then be best defined as demonstration of crazy people".

*The Capture: Institutional hijack in slow motion* 

 

Undemocratic handling of Congress disputes is not chaos. It’s capture. When the party’s national organs treat every case emanating from the state as a threat to be managed, not a voice to be heard, in an institutional party that believes in Equal Opportunities and Social Justice, the institution stops being a platform and becomes a vault. Only those with the combination get to decide who walks in.  

 A bank built with depositors’ money, but only the manager’s cousins can make withdrawals. The structure stands, the sign remains, but the purpose has been kidnapped. The Labour Party was built as an alternative to godfather politics, and as it appears to be now, it's been captured, though not been kept under lock and keys but soonest might be turned into what it once fought.

The Rupture: What breaks when trust is replaced

Mutilating Congress results and swapping winners does three things at once:  

1. Ruptures legitimacy: If members can’t trust the process, they can’t defend the product.  

2. Ruptures morale: Volunteers who campaigned, mobilized, and voted learn that fidelity has no reward.  

3. Ruptures identity: A party called “Labour” loses its moral wage. Workers respect rules. When rules are bent, the name becomes irony.  

Just like a rope bridge. Each Congress is a plank. Replace the plank with paper board, and the bridge still looks crossable from a distance. The rupture happens only when weight is applied. Elections are weight. Democracy inside a party is not decoration. It’s diagnostics. When internal elections are mutilated, the party loses the ability to detect its own weakness. You can’t strategize if you don’t know who actually won. You can’t mobilize if members believe the game is fixed. And you can’t claim to fight external impunity while practicing internal impunity.

The Labour Party’s current crisis isn’t just about names on a list. It’s about whether the party will be a movement or a monument. Movements correct themselves. Monuments are corrected by history.

Rapture lifts. Capture holds. Rupture breaks. Today’s Labour Party is suspended between all three. What happens next depends on whether leadership restores the mandate or keeps rewriting it.

©Apagun Olaolu Samuel

Chairman, 

Ogun State Labour Party

Why A Federal High Court Ordered Deregistration of ADC, Accord Party, APP, AA, ZLP

A Federal High Court Monday ordered the electoral umpire to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the Accord Party and three other political parties.

Justice Peter Lifu issued the directive to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) while delivering judgement in a suit instituted by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators.

Justice Lifu predicated his decision on the grounds that the affected political parties did not meet Section 225 of the Constitution.

The other political parties the court directed the electoral body to deregister are the Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

The National Forum of Former Legislators had, in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, prayed the court to determine whether INEC has a constitutional obligation to remove political parties that fail to meet the electoral performance thresholds set out in Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as reinforced by the Electoral Act 2022 and INEC’s regulations.

It was the position of the plaintiff that the five political parties listed as defendants in the matter had persistently failed to meet the constitutional benchmarks required to retain their registration.

The former legislators stressed that the requirements include winning at least 25 per cent of votes in a state during a presidential election or securing at least one elective seat at the national, state, or local government level.


They told the court that the ADC and the four other parties performed poorly in both the 2023 general elections and by-elections conducted by INEC, thereby failing to win seats across key tiers of government.

The litigants insisted that the continued existence of these five political parties as recognised political parties is unlawful and undermines the integrity of the country’s electoral system.

Among other reliefs, the plaintiff urged the court to declare that INEC is duty-bound to deregister such parties.

It further urged the court to compel the commission to deregister the five political parties before preparations for the 2027 elections advance further.

Beyond declaratory reliefs, the plaintiff prayed the court to restrain the five affected parties from participating in general elections or engaging in political activities such as campaigns, rallies, and primaries.

It also sought a court injunction restraining INEC from recognising or dealing with the parties in any official capacity unless and until they strictly comply with constitutional provisions.

The judgment may affect the chances of candidates of the affected political parties, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, to contest the 2027 presidential poll.

Incumbent Governor of Osun State Ademola Adeleke if the Accord Party may be facing major political setback.

It's hopeful that such judgement will be challenged at the Appeal Court.

Opposition political parties have been facing disorganization, sponsored disorderliness and brutal infiltrations and attacks including using the judiciary like never before in the political history of this country under the Bola Tinubu led pro terrorists government.  The security, Sociopolitical and economy of the country remains unsafe and uncertain as more than majority of the citizens are wallowing in abject poverty in the face of insecurity already destined the incumbent ruling party to lose the 2027 general elections.

#Posterspeaks: Arc Dr Peter Agada on Labour Direct Initiatives

 

JUNE 12 RALLY: TMN , CSOs call for Nationwide improve security, justice and accountability (PHOTOS)

The Movement Nigeria (TMN) SECURITY FRAMEWORK: SIX PILLARS FOR A SAFER NIGERIA

 Secure Every School Initiative

Every public and private school in Nigeria should be protected through a coordinated national school security program.

This program should include:

* Dedicated School Protection Units.

* Security technology and emergency alert systems.

* Perimeter protection infrastructure.

* Regular security audits.

* Community-based school safety partnerships.

Schools must remain places of learning, not targets of fear.

2. Intelligence-Led Security Architecture

Modern security challenges require modern solutions.

Nigeria must strengthen:

* Intelligence gathering.

* Inter-agency collaboration.

* Real-time information sharing.

* Digital surveillance capabilities.

* Data-driven crime prevention systems.

Successful nations defeat criminal networks not merely with force, but with superior intelligence.

3. Community Security Partnership

Security cannot be achieved by government alone.

Every community must become an active partner in safeguarding lives and property.

This requires:

* Community policing structures.

* Local security volunteer networks.

* Traditional institution participation.

* Youth engagement programs.

* Early-warning reporting systems.

Citizens are often the first to notice emerging threats.

4. Economic Empowerment as a Security Strategy

Lasting peace requires economic opportunity.

Millions of young Nigerians possess enormous potential but lack access to productive opportunities.

TMN advocates:

* Large-scale agricultural empowerment programs.

* Agro-processing hubs.

* Skills acquisition initiatives.

* Entrepreneurship financing.

* Rural economic development projects.

Every young person productively employed is one less person vulnerable to recruitment into criminal activities.

5. Border Security and National Sovereignty*

Nigeria must strengthen the protection of its borders through:

* Advanced surveillance technology.

* Border monitoring systems.

* Improved immigration controls.

* Regional security cooperation.

* Enhanced maritime and land border security.

National security begins with effective control of national territory.

6. Justice, Accountability and Victim Support

Criminality thrives where accountability is weak.

Nigeria must ensure:

* Swift prosecution of terrorism financiers.

* Stronger anti-money laundering enforcement.

* Protection of witnesses.

* Compensation for victims and affected families.

* Rehabilitation support for rescued victims.

Justice must be visible, fair and effective.

PRESS STATEMENT: NIGERIA MUST PROTECT HER PEOPLE: A CALL FOR NATIONAL ACTION, COMPASSION AND SECURITY REFORM

By The Movement Nigeria (TMN)

Fellow Nigerians,

Today, we gather not as representatives of any political interest, ethnic group, religion or region, but as concerned citizens united by a shared sense of humanity and patriotism.

Our hearts are with every family currently experiencing the pain of insecurity, particularly the parents, teachers and loved ones of the school children and citizens who remain in captivity across different parts of our country.

No nation can truly prosper when its people live in fear.

No parent should send a child to school uncertain of their safety.

No teacher should be forced to choose between educating children and preserving their own life.

No community should live under the constant threat of violence, kidnapping or displacement.

The Movement Nigeria (TMN) is organizing this candlelight gathering in Oyo State as a solemn moment of reflection, solidarity and national responsibility.

We remember every victim.

We stand with every affected family.

We pray for the safe return of every person currently in captivity.

We honor the sacrifices of our security personnel who continue to put their lives on the line daily in defense of our nation.

At this difficult moment, Nigeria does not need more division. Nigeria needs leadership, compassion, courage and practical solutions.

The security challenges confronting our nation were not created overnight, and they will not disappear overnight. However, history shows that countries facing similar threats have successfully restored peace through determined leadership, institutional reforms, community participation and sustained economic development.

Countries such as Colombia significantly reduced insurgency and kidnapping through intelligence-driven operations and coordinated security reforms.

Rwanda rebuilt national security through strong institutions, local vigilance structures and national unity programs.

Indonesia weakened extremist networks through effective intelligence gathering, community engagement and targeted security operations.

Singapore continues to maintain one of the safest societies in the world through efficient policing, technology, strong institutions and strict accountability.

Nigeria can learn from these experiences while developing solutions tailored to our own realities.

*THE AGADA SECURITY FRAMEWORK: SIX PILLARS FOR A SAFER NIGERIA*

*1. Secure Every School Initiative*

Every public and private school in Nigeria should be protected through a coordinated national school security program.

This program should include:

* Dedicated School Protection Units.

* Security technology and emergency alert systems.

* Perimeter protection infrastructure.

* Regular security audits.

* Community-based school safety partnerships.

Schools must remain places of learning, not targets of fear.

*2. Intelligence-Led Security Architecture*

Modern security challenges require modern solutions.

Nigeria must strengthen:

* Intelligence gathering.

* Inter-agency collaboration.

* Real-time information sharing.

* Digital surveillance capabilities.

* Data-driven crime prevention systems.

Successful nations defeat criminal networks not merely with force, but with superior intelligence.

*3. Community Security Partnership*

Security cannot be achieved by government alone.

Every community must become an active partner in safeguarding lives and property.

This requires:

* Community policing structures.

* Local security volunteer networks.

* Traditional institution participation.

* Youth engagement programs.

* Early-warning reporting systems.

Citizens are often the first to notice emerging threats.

*4. Economic Empowerment as a Security Strategy*

Lasting peace requires economic opportunity.

Millions of young Nigerians possess enormous potential but lack access to productive opportunities.

TMN advocates:

* Large-scale agricultural empowerment programs.

* Agro-processing hubs.

* Skills acquisition initiatives.

* Entrepreneurship financing.

* Rural economic development projects.

Every young person productively employed is one less person vulnerable to recruitment into criminal activities.

*5. Border Security and National Sovereignty*

Nigeria must strengthen the protection of its borders through:

* Advanced surveillance technology.

* Border monitoring systems.

* Improved immigration controls.

* Regional security cooperation.

* Enhanced maritime and land border security.

National security begins with effective control of national territory.

*6. Justice, Accountability and Victim Support*

Criminality thrives where accountability is weak.

Nigeria must ensure:

* Swift prosecution of terrorism financiers.

* Stronger anti-money laundering enforcement.

* Protection of witnesses.

* Compensation for victims and affected families.

* Rehabilitation support for rescued victims.

Justice must be visible, fair and effective.

*A NATIONAL CALL*

We call upon all levels of government, security institutions, civil society organizations, traditional rulers, faith leaders, labour unions, professional groups and citizens to work together in confronting insecurity.

The safety of Nigerians must remain above politics.

The protection of lives must remain our highest priority.

The future of our children must remain our greatest responsibility.

We therefore demand every lawful and necessary effort toward securing the immediate and safe release of all persons currently held captive by criminal elements anywhere in Nigeria.

We also call for sustained reforms that address not only the symptoms of insecurity, but its root causes.

Nigeria possesses the resources, the institutions, the talent and the people required to overcome these challenges.

What is required is collective resolve, strategic leadership and national unity.

The Movement Nigeria remains committed to working with labour organizations, professional bodies, educational institutions, community leaders and patriotic Nigerians to develop practical policy solutions capable of restoring security, prosperity and hope to our nation.

Through initiatives such as the Labour Institute, LabourDirect.com and other national development platforms, we will continue to contribute ideas, policies and partnerships aimed at building a safer and more productive Nigeria.

Let this candlelight gathering not only honor the victims of insecurity but also renew our collective determination to build a nation where every citizen can live, learn, work and prosper in peace.

May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Sir Dele Abiola

South-West Coordinator

*For: The Movement Nigeria (TMN)*