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Outrage is mounting after coordinated Easter attacks across northern Nigeria left at least 26 people dead, with retired Air Commodore Abayomi Balogun delivering a scathing verdict on the nation\u2019s security system: it reacts too late\u2014and costs lives.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Gunmen struck communities in Benue, Kaduna, and Nasarawa during the holiday, targeting worshippers and residents. In Benue alone, 17 people were reportedly killed in Mbalom, Gwar West, with additional casualties recorded in neighbouring states.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Speaking on Arise Prime Time, Balogun did not mince words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSadly, that\u2019s what the storyline says\u2014because it\u2019s killing everywhere,\u201d he said. \u201cThe military is succeeding in some places, but what you want is total security for all citizens.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n His central criticism was blunt: Nigeria\u2019s security forces are consistently one step behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFor a while, we have been reactive. We allow them to plan, we allow them to group until they attack us, then we respond,\u201d Balogun said. \u201cWe must become more proactive. Our operations must be intelligence-driven so we can act before the enemy strikes.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n He warned that the current pattern\u2014attack, then response\u2014has emboldened perpetrators, who often escape before troops arrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou hear that they attacked a place and disappeared into thin air. That should not happen,\u201d he said. \u201cIf we have air mobile quick response teams on standby, like we did in our time, response would be immediate.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Balogun called for sweeping reforms, starting with a centralized Multi-Agency Coordination and Control Centre to unify intelligence and operations across security bodies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen something happens, it should go straight to a central command where intelligence is analysed and passed instantly,\u201d he explained. \u201cWith drones and real-time data, you can monitor and neutralise threats quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n He also emphasized grassroots intelligence as a missing link.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe people at the grassroots must become your first line of defense without guns,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen they see something, there must be a clear structure on who they report to.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Beyond structural fixes, Balogun urged authorities to tap into what he called \u201cretired assets\u201d\u2014experienced former military and security personnel who remain underutilized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On kidnappings, he suggested that better coordination and tracking technology could turn criminals\u2019 own tools against them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOnce kidnappers demand ransoms and bikes, those bikes can become their death certificate,\u201d he said, noting they could be tracked to pinpoint locations.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n He further criticized the burden on senior military officers, saying administrative overload is undermining strategic thinking, and called for dedicated think tanks to develop new security approaches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While acknowledging deeper issues like unemployment and governance gaps, Balogun insisted the moment demands decisive action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe know the root causes, but where we are now, we must take bold steps. We must be audacious,\u201d he said. \u201cThere are few bad people\u2014we must become a terror to them so that the good people can live in peace.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n The Easter bloodshed has once again exposed Nigeria\u2019s persistent security vulnerabilities\u2014renewing urgent calls for reforms before more lives are lost.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Outrage is mounting after coordinated Easter attacks across northern Nigeria left at least 26 people<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1067,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1066","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-security"],"yoast_head":"\n\n
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