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Oscar Okhifo
Abuja-based lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju has decried what he described as Nigeria’s growing desensitisation to insecurity, arguing that the reported abduction of a High Court judge in Zamfara State and the earlier kidnap and killing of a military general have failed to provoke the kind of sustained national outrage or political accountability such incidents once attracted.
Adeyanju, in separate posts on X and Facebook, expressed alarm over what he described as the country’s dangerous acceptance of violent crimes, arguing that Nigerians now move on too quickly from tragedies that would ordinarily shake any nation.
“The other day, bandits kidnapped a whole general and killed him after televising the entire episode, then delivered his dead body to his relatives and nothing happened.
“Nobody was arrested in the process of delivering his dead body. Everyone moved on almost immediately,” he wrote.
According to the lawyer, the swift return to normalcy after such a shocking incident reflects what he believes is the country’s gradual acceptance of violence and insecurity.
“Such occurrences have become normal that even the opposition no longer condemn same. This is a failed nation,”
Adeyanju said.
He further argued that Nigeria has lacked an effective opposition capable of holding those in power accountable, adding: “The last time Nigeria had a government and an opposition was in 2015.”
Adeyanju’s comments came against the backdrop of fresh reports of the abduction of a High Court judge in Zamfara State, an incident he suggested had also failed to provoke widespread outrage or sustained pressure on the authorities.
He argued that under previous administrations, particularly when the All Progressives Congress (APC) was in opposition, such brazen attacks on senior public officials would have sparked relentless criticism of the government and dominated national discourse.
He maintained that the relatively muted response to the latest abduction illustrates how deeply insecurity has become normalised across the country.
His comments echo a growing sentiment among many Nigerians that years of relentless terrorism, banditry, kidnappings and violent crimes have gradually desensitised the public to tragedies that would ordinarily trigger sustained national outrage.
Over time, incidents that once dominated national conversations for weeks now often disappear from the headlines within days, replaced by the next security crisis.
While governments routinely issue condolences, condemn attacks and promise to bring perpetrators to justice, many citizens argue that such assurances are too often followed by little visible action.
Critics also point out that in many countries, far less devastating security incidents have led to official resignations, independent investigations, sweeping policy reviews or urgent reforms. In Nigeria, however, they say life frequently resumes almost immediately after each tragedy, leaving victims’ families with the impression that the nation has simply moved on.
Even when members of the armed forces and other security agencies are ambushed and killed in the line of duty, public attention often fades quickly.
Beyond official statements and promises that the perpetrators will be apprehended, many observers say there is little sustained national reflection or accountability.
The same concern, they argue, is now extending to attacks on judicial officers and other public officials.
The debate has also extended to the role of the media. On several occasions, government officials have accused journalists and media organisations of giving undue publicity to terrorists or glorifying their activities through extensive coverage.
Media advocates, however, insist that reporting such incidents is not an endorsement of criminality but part of the press’s constitutional responsibility as the watchdog of society, keeping citizens informed and holding those in authority accountable.
Adeyanju’s remarks have reignited debate over whether Nigerians have become dangerously accustomed to insecurity and whether repeated tragedies are steadily losing their power to demand accountability from both the government and the political opposition.
As fresh cases of kidnappings, killings and attacks on public officials continue to emerge, many fear that what once shocked the nation is now increasingly being treated as just another headline before attention shifts to the next tragedy.
