Evidence has proven that the Nigerian government can move swiftly and decisively against any threat if it wants to. For one, the president did not stay quiet but declared a full state of emergency in the oil-rich state of Rivers when a political crisis of interest surfaced. Now, one may ask if Rivers State is more Nigerian than some parts of Nigeria? I thought every area of particular concern should get adequate and appropriate concern, or how else can you describe the swift action in Rivers versus the intentional misinformation in Kaduna?
Another perspective is this: Does Nigeria possess the military power to combat issues on its soil? The Nigerian Senate hurriedly passed an approval for the deployment of military forces to another country to quell an attempted coup and restore democratic rule in another country. According to research, the Nigerian troop deployed to the Republic of Benin flew fighter jets that were never popular during combat in insurgent operations in northern Nigeria.
How come it chose to be silent or sweep issues of injustice in Kaduna under the carpet in Kajuru local government area of Kaduna on the 18th of January? Perhaps the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Rabiu, acted under orders from the top when he deliberately denied that 177 church members were kidnapped on the 18th of January. Otherwise, he should be answering questions by now. Because barely 24 hours after his claims, the Inspector General of Police deployed a squad to rescue the victims of this terrible incident. Who should we then believe, the one closest to the incident locale or the one reporting from Abuja? This is a national far cry, especially in 2026, when information has become more important. Should the government, in a bid to contain public anger and unrest, lie to the detriment of innocent lives in captivity? Conflicting police reports in Nigeria speak volumes about complicity.
A friend of PSJ UK and Founder of Community Development and Rights Advocacy Foundation, Stephen Kefas, stated on National Television today, 22nd January 2026, that the practise of injustice is a daily occurrence in some parts of Kaduna, like Kajuru, Kauru and others. But the concern is, how come this never gets to mainstream news? Perhaps because the numbers have never reached 177. He reported the unpleasant state of the state, marred by attendant poverty, bad road networks, poor telecommunication services, epileptic power supply and insecurity, to name a few. Reports have it that bandits stroll in and take whatever and whoever appeals to them without constraints, in a country with a Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, a security architecture and a State Commissioner who is frugal with the truth.
Shockingly, shortly after the incident happened, PSJ UK got wind of the issue and mobilised observers to the said region under pressure, but met with a strong military presence that never knew their way to the local government before or during the attack. They mounted barricades and prevented journalists from accessing the community. It was also reported that the network in the area was immediately shut down.
Why did the Kaduna State Police Commissioner, Muhammad Rabiu, report without investigating?
The only justification is that there is an order that came from the top to mum issues of Christian Genocide, and that is why the Commissioner is unperturbed after making false claims and misleading the public. Another reason is that the Tinubu-led government is concerned about the US claims of genocide in Nigeria and is trying hard to conceal issues of such contexts. Meanwhile, the United States is set to lead a high-level delegation to Nigeria to discuss with the Nigerian government about protecting Christian communities and strengthening counterterrorism efforts. Again, this is never an issue of a lack of capability but complicity on the part of the government. Nigeria has emergency energy, only if it is political in nature. The government thinks more of tenure runs instead of the lives of future nation builders. An elderly woman who was detected to be weak was dropped by the bandits in the latest church attack in Kajuru local government. She could not leave the church premises until later that day. The only question on her lips was: Where is my child? She went to church with her grandchild, only to go back home without her. Imagine what’s on that woman’s mind right now. She can never think of policies or politics, she can’t understand tenure and political statements. The only thing she yearns for is her grandchild. Is that too much to ask from a government?
Factually, even truth was buried and resurrected after three days. The lady Justicia that represents the justice system is supposed to hold the balance without bias, but it seems there is a large judge called compromise in our courtrooms. Just before the news from the Inspector General on the deployment of troops, PSJ UK earlier issued a statement about the matter to inform the public and call for justice for the 177 abductees in Kaduna. We remain committed to speaking truth to power, calling for government accountability and transparency.
We believe our voice is loud enough to expose every injustice and build a peaceful society. But that requires so much support from everyone, because together we can make Nigeria a better place.
By IDOWU Anuoluwapo Ezekiel
