The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has condemned the escalating wave of violence gripping the country, demanding an immediate overhaul of security measures following a string of horrific attacks.
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The association’s leadership, led by President Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, and General Secretary Dr. Mobolaji Ojibara, issued a strongly worded statement titled “ENOUGH OF THIS CARNAGE: THE TIME TO END MASS ABDUCTIONS AND TARGETED KILLINGS IS NOW,” describing the incidents as a national shame that threatens the very soul of Nigeria.
The statement follows twin tragedies that unfolded on Monday, November 17, 2025. In the early hours, armed terrorists raided the Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, engaging security forces in a fierce gunfight before killing a teacher and abducting at least 25 schoolgirls from their hostel. The attack has reignited fears over the safety of educational institutions, recalling previous mass kidnappings such as the 2014 Chibok abductions.
Compounding the horror, only hours earlier in Borno State, Brigadier-General M. U. Uba and several soldiers were killed in an ambush by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) militants. This occurred shortly after another coordinated attack in the same region, underscoring what the NBA described as a brazen escalation in assaults on Nigeria’s armed forces. “These terrorists are not only attacking unarmed civilians; they are now openly targeting members of the armed forces,” the statement said. “The grim message is clear: no one is safe.”
Osigwe and Ojibara painted a bleak picture of a nation “bleeding from both ends,” where schoolchildren, farmers, travelers, rural communities, and security personnel continue to fall victim to terrorism, banditry, and kidnappings. They linked the crisis to years of unchecked and under-resourced criminality, citing recent reports of 145 people declared missing in mass abductions across Kebbi, Niger, and Zamfara States over a four-day period. “We have reached a point where we must prioritise the security of our nation. We cannot continue to record body counts and pretend that peace can be achieved by negotiating with terrorists,” they said.
The NBA’s criticism extended to broader systemic failures, questioning how terrorists continue to operate freely in forests and along major highways, impose levies on communities, and evade justice. The statement also referenced a recent Department of State Services (DSS) alert warning of imminent ISWAP attacks in Ondo and Kogi States, describing it as evidence of a broad and coordinated strategy to expand terror networks. “This is not speculation; it is a clear and present danger. We are at war with enemies emboldened by state inaction, lack of decisiveness, and institutional dysfunction,” the statement warned.
In a seven-point action plan, the NBA outlined urgent demands for the Federal Government and security agencies:
- A time-bound rescue operation for the abducted Kebbi schoolgirls, with transparent updates to the public.
- An immediate inquest into the intelligence and security lapses that led to the Borno ambush, including preventive steps going forward.
- Urgent prosecution of all terrorism enablers, including individuals supplying arms, logistics, or shelter.
- Full implementation of the Safe Schools Initiative, including fortifications, perimeter security, and armed escorts in high-risk areas.
- Investment in surveillance technology, such as satellite monitoring of forests, and comprehensive military modernization and intelligence reforms.
- Pre-emptive action against the threats identified by the DSS in Ondo and Kogi States.
- Comprehensive support for victims’ families, including trauma care and restitution for both civilians and military personnel.
The association paid tribute to the slain Kebbi schoolteacher, whom it described as gallant for shielding students during the attack, as well as to Brigadier-General Uba and his men. “We mourn the valiant officers who paid the ultimate price for a country still struggling to defend itself,” the statement read. The NBA emphasised that it “will not be silent while Nigeria edges toward a national tragedy of unimaginable proportions.”
NBA PRESS NOVEMBER 18 2025-THE TIME TO END MASS ABDUCTIONS AND TARGETED KILLINGS IS NOW“This is no longer a question of security logistics or isolated lapses. It is a question of national will,” the NBA concluded. “Silence is complicity. Delay is danger. The time to act is now.”
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