Insecurity in Nigeria has become a commonplace that is deteriorating. with each passing day. It is so devastating that the media churn out more news of insurgencies, attacks and killings than of discoveries or achievements that will impact the socio-economic space. Citizens live with a daily premonition of which town in the North will, unfortunately, be attacked by Boko Haram terrorist or herdsmen, the possible persons that will be whisked away by kidnappers or cultists and news of cruel traditional practices perpetrated by locales in the South and Western region. Nigeria has steadily declined in the Global peace index ranking, moving from 129th – 148th out of 163 countries surveyed between 2009 to 2019. Even a country like Chad experiences more peace than Nigeria.
Findings revealed that many directly affected Nigerians have resolved to seek refuge and protection in other safer countries, as the security condition degenerate. The security personnel is no longer protecting the average citizens rather, they flock around politicians, government bureaucrats and bigshots who can afford to hire and influence them.
The fate of the average Nigerian citizen is left to uncertainties as no one could predict what happens in the next minutes; Boko haram or
herdsmen is on the increase fast gaining grounds with a network throughout the country. They launch attack anytime, invade villages,
massacre people and raze their houses with fire. Kidnappers operate like they own the country. People have lost hope in the leadership of Nigeria; hence they flee abroad to foreign lands where they have a haven to earn a living and chase their dreams.
The high level of insecurity in Nigeria can be confirmed by the frequent attacks in Plateau, Benue, Kaduna among other states. Major highways in The Eastern and Western Regions are not leftout,herdsmen have hurled series of attacks in the states making it some sort of bloodshed arena; they invade communities like the biblical allusion of ‘a thief in the night’ killing thousands and destroyed valuable properties.
Many people who have invested greatly in the country have lost their properties, loved ones to one form of insurgency. Such is the case of
Uche Chukwuemeka, a successful auto parts businessman who has established himself in Eastern Nigeria. He was kidnapped and released for ransom twice in six months. His aged mother was also traced and adopted for the same purpose of extortion but was later abandoned by the road after she fainted and was presumed dead by her adopters. She was rescued by good willingly Nigerians who rushed her to the hospital.
On a fateful evening, Uche reported, he suddenly bumped into two of his adoptors around his neighborhood. He could recognize them by their voices, slugs and way the walked. He took to his heel and they immediately went after him but his good knowledge of the
neighborhood helped him escape his hunters. At that point, he knew it was only a matter of time before his life will be sniffed away from him if he does not act fast. He went into hiding until he was able to connect with some of his partners abroad and who facilitated his relocation to Italy.
Likewise Gbenga Akinkunmi, a Yoruba man who spent the early and greater part of his life in the North, precisely Plateau state. He worked hard as an electrical engineer and also engaged in several community development activities, unfortunately, he lost all his valuable properties in a single night to attacks by herdsmen who had clear targets. He was fortunate enough to escape, leaving his family in disarray. His journey to the Southern region while fleeing for his life was also very traumatic as he was adopted by kidnappers, released for a ransom and faced constant threats for more money by the kidnappers.
Upon realization of the vulnerability of the southern region to kidnapping activities and cultism, he fled the country to Canada where premium importance is placed on lives and properties.
In similar conditions like Uche and Akinkunmi are some persons identified as Yinusa Ogunwole, Garba Sani, Esohe Godwin, Akande Okuneye and Ekene Mabuchukwu from Nigeria, who had similar but peculiar encounters with some other groups. They also were screwed and their lives threatened. Realizing the danger they were susceptible to, they sought for protection abroad. These accounts for the high proportion of Nigerians citizens leaving the country just to ensure they get some safety from the multiple crises bedeviling the entire nation.
