A civil society organisation, the Southern Zone and Middle Belt Alliance for Peace (SZMBAP), has raised alarm over what it described as the complicity of some influential Nigerians in fuelling terrorism and widespread insecurity across the country.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, the group’s national chairman, Dr Amaechi Okolie, accused certain highly placed individuals, both within and outside Nigeria, of backing armed non-state actors responsible for violence, displacement, and the destabilisation of several communities.
“We suspect that the violent and criminal non-state actors do not act without the support of highly placed and influential Nigerians, home and abroad,” Okolie alleged.
He called on the federal government to adopt immediate and decisive legal actions, described as “radical but constitutional”, to curb the growing threat posed by these groups, warning that failure to act could spell further danger for the nation’s sovereignty and public safety.
“The phenomenon of non-state actors seizing parts of the sovereign state of Nigeria should be put to stop,” he said.
Okolie stressed that security is a shared responsibility and urged greater collaboration between federal and sub-national governments to safeguard lives and property.
He called on citizens to support security agencies and exercise their constitutional right to justifiable self-defence through legal and organised community collaboration.
“We must work together—government, citizens, and civil society—if we are to overcome this national emergency,” he added.
While expressing concern over the elite’s sabotage, Okolie reiterated his group’s support for President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda, particularly efforts aimed at restoring peace and unity.
“We fully and wholeheartedly support the ongoing efforts by President Bola Tinubu to restore peace and stability in the country,” he said.
The CSO also extended a call to the international community, urging global partners, democratic governments, and human rights organisations to closely monitor the situation in Nigeria and hold the federal government accountable for safeguarding democratic values and national security.
Okolie concluded by reaffirming SZMBAP’s commitment to building a peaceful Nigeria through citizen participation and solidarity, insisting that the security of the nation must take priority over political self-interest.
