In the wake of a devastating explosion at a mosque in Maiduguri’s Gamboru Market on Christmas Eve, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has issued a stark call to action, demanding that the Federal and State Governments move beyond rhetoric and implement immediate, practical security measures to safeguard Nigerian citizens. The incident, which occurred during a period of religious observance, has reignited urgent national conversations about the state of security and the protection of fundamental rights.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, in a statement from Abuja, framed the attack as a tragic symptom of a broader, escalating crisis. “This serves as another sad reminder of the rising insecurity facing Nigerians,” Ememobong stated, describing the event as “totally unacceptable.” His remarks underscore a critical point: isolated attacks are not isolated failures, but indicators of a systemic security challenge that requires a coordinated, strategic response.
The PDP’s call emphasizes the need for “concrete, actionable security strategies deployed on the ground.” This phrasing is a direct critique of often-abstract policy discussions, pushing for visible, tangible interventions. What might this look like in practice? It could involve enhanced intelligence-driven operations to preempt attacks, the strategic deployment of security assets to known vulnerable points like markets and places of worship during high-traffic periods, and improved community policing frameworks that build trust and facilitate local intelligence gathering. The “yuletide season and beyond” clause is crucial; it rejects temporary, reactive security surges in favor of sustainable, long-term security architecture.
Ememobong highlighted a profound consequence often overlooked in security briefings: the psychological and societal impact. “If these attacks on places of worship continue unchecked, they will not only violate the constitutional right of Nigerians to freely worship but will also create an atmosphere of fear that threatens the very fabric of our religious society,” he warned. This insight moves the discussion from casualty counts to the erosion of social cohesion. When citizens fear gathering for worship—a core community activity—it damages the social trust necessary for a stable society. Protecting these spaces is therefore not just a security imperative, but a societal one.
The party’s commiseration with the bereaved families—”No one should lose their life while worshipping God”—anchors the issue in a universal principle of sanctity. However, the subtext is a challenge to governance: ensuring this sanctity is the primary duty of the state. The call to “confront the menace with the urgency and seriousness it deserves” implies that current efforts may be perceived as insufficient or misaligned with the scale of the threat.
Ultimately, this statement transcends a mere reaction to a single event. It frames the Christmas Eve explosion as a catalyst for demanding a tangible shift in security strategy—from discussion to deployment, from broad promises to specific, practical steps that restore a sense of safety and preserve the constitutional right to worship without fear. The onus is now on the relevant authorities to translate this call into visible action that protects both life and liberty.
Report by Emmanuel Oloniruha for the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa.
