Baptist Convention urges FG to take decisive action on rising insecurity

The Nigerian Baptist Convention (NBC) has expressed fresh concern over Nigeria’s deteriorating security situation, describing the wave of killings, kidnappings, terrorism and banditry across the country as unbearable, and calling for urgent, decisive action by the federal government.

President of the Convention, Rev. Dr. Israel Akanji, made the call in a press statement ahead of the NBC’s 113th Annual Session, scheduled to hold from April 18 to 23, 2026, at the Baptist International Convention Centre (BICC), Kubwa, Abuja.

Akanji said the scale and brutality of insecurity had reached alarming levels, with perpetrators increasingly emboldened to publicise acts of violence, including killings and abductions, on digital platforms.

“The seemingly endless, senseless, brutal, torturous and unprovoked killings, kidnapping, terrorism and banditry have become totally unbearable,” he said.

He cited recurring mass killings in parts of Plateau State—Jos, Bokkos, Barkin Ladi and Bassa—as well as incidents in Benue, Niger, Kogi, Kwara, Katsina, Kebbi, Zamfara and Borno states, describing the situation as unacceptable and reprehensible.

While commending security agencies for their ongoing efforts, the NBC president stressed that more must be done to restore safety across the country.

He noted that Nigeria’s current security challenges are partly the result of a compromised security architecture inherited by the present administration, but insisted that urgent steps must now be taken to address the crisis.

“The government must, as a matter of urgency, confront and overcome the problem of insecurity decisively,” Akanji said.

He also called on the police and the judiciary to intensify efforts in arresting and prosecuting perpetrators, warning against the persistence of impunity. According to him, swift justice would serve as a deterrent to criminal elements.

The Convention reiterated its longstanding position on the establishment of state police, arguing that the current centralised policing system is inadequate to tackle the scale of insecurity nationwide.

“The present policing system appears insufficient to curb the menace of insecurity in the country,” he added.

Beyond general insecurity, the NBC linked the crisis to broader socio-economic challenges, particularly rising food prices. Akanji noted that insecurity in the North-Central region, Nigeria’s food basket, has significantly disrupted agricultural activities, thereby worsening food inflation.

He urged state governments to invest more in agriculture and provide additional security for farmers during planting and harvesting seasons, while also calling for decisive measures to address persistent herder-farmer clashes.

The Convention also expressed concern over the humanitarian impact of insecurity, including the displacement of communities and loss of lives.

It called on the government to support affected communities through rebuilding efforts, compensation for victims’ families, and assistance for displaced persons to return to their homes.

In addition, Akanji commended security agencies and anti-drug bodies such as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for their ongoing efforts, but urged stricter enforcement and tougher penalties against those involved in drug trafficking, which he said contributes to youth vulnerability and insecurity.

Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, the NBC warned political actors against violence, stressing that political ambition should not come at the cost of human lives.

It urged politicians to adhere to democratic norms and called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure credible elections.

The Convention further emphasised the need to promote religious freedom and national unity, noting that respect for human dignity and interfaith harmony are critical to addressing Nigeria’s security challenges.

The NBC’s 113th Annual Session, themed “Entering into Newness through the Fruit and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit,” is expected to bring together Baptist faithful from across the country to deliberate on national issues, including security, governance and socio-economic development.