{"id":8058,"date":"2026-09-07T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-07T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/openafricantribune.com\/?p=8058"},"modified":"2026-08-19T12:21:39","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T11:21:39","slug":"three-presidents-one-persistent-security-challenge-what-has-changed-since-2011","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/openafricantribune.com\/fr\/2026\/09\/07\/three-presidents-one-persistent-security-challenge-what-has-changed-since-2011\/","title":{"rendered":"Three Presidents, One Persistent Security Challenge: What Has Changed Since 2011?"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the Beginning<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In one of the farming communities in Kankara local government area of Katsina State, Northwest Nigeria, women gather at the corner of a market. Instead of discussing the sales of their produce as would have been the norm in times past, they rather talk of the insecurity plaguing the region and how it has denied them the opportunity to flood the market with their farm produce. Almost ten and a half years ago, members of this same community would discuss various issues relating to harvesting, school fees and market trends. The topic of conversation has changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For many communities in northern Nigeria, insecurity has become part of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Long distance travel is now considered a risky venture as people are compelled to seek news of security hotspots before departing on any journey. Even farmers find it difficult to decide whether to tend to their crops or seek safer grounds as parents hesitate to send their kids to distant schools due to the incessant attacks on motorists and kidnappers demanding ransom from travelers along some routes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“At first we were allowed to plant on only a percentage of the farmlands, but later we were not permitted at all. We were told to go back to our farms or be prepared to die but we have since left all matters in the hands of God”, a farmer at Unguwar Dan Kaura community in Kankara local government area of Katsina told Abdullahi Yamadi, Daily Trust correspondent in the State.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than 700 km away in Borno State, the situation is not much different, although the context is different. Whole communities were flattened during the Boko Haram crisis. Most of those who had fled the violence have since returned to their hometowns, but finding normalcy has proven more difficult than expected. Although markets in several communities have reopened, many people are still awaiting permanent security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m so glad we are resettled, the Governor (Babagana Zulum) has done us good by bringing us back to our own village. I received N100,000 while the women got N50,000 each. I also got a bag of rice, maize and clothes materials, same as other women received. I pray that insecurity will be resolved once and for all so that peace can prevail because we have been through a terrible ordeal,\u201d Modu Bintimi, an IDP from Mungona Displaced Peoples Camp which recently closed down, said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Modu\u2019s sentiments are shared by many others in Borno State as well as in other states. Insecurity that began in 2011 has since spread to different parts of the country, affecting different aspects of life for millions of Nigerians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Evolving Security Challenge<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When President Goodluck Jonathan took office in 2011, Boko Haram was already a major menace in Nigeria. The group in the north-east had evolved from a regional threat to an insurgent organisation willing to carry out bombings, attack and lay siege to military installations. The 2011 UN bombing in Abuja and the 2014 abduction of more than 270 girls from Chibok, became defining events of the terrorism wave that peaked under President Jonathan. The response to the Boko Haram spate of violence consisted of military operations, declarations of emergency in various states, as well as regional solidarity, particularly with neighbouring Chad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, President Muhammadu Buhari found a country relatively secure when he took over in 2015. The military operations, alongside the multinational task force had succeeded in reducing the group\u2019s territorial grip on the north-east. But his tenure was characterised by a proliferation of other security challenges, particularly banditry, which overtook Boko Haram as the main security concern in Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto and Kaduna States. Additionally, kidnapping had degenerated into a serious business as ransom payments became the primary source of revenue for abductors. Farmer-herder clashes have also persisted, especially in central Nigeria. In other words, the security landscape was changing although overall stability was restored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs a retiree, it was really challenging for us to come up with two million naira to free my daughter,\u201d said Usman Dahiru, a retired civil servant and resident of Funtua Local Government Area in Katsina State, while describing the pain brought about by the kidnapping of his daughter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu took over from his predecessor at a time when the challenge of banditry had intensified, with attacks being reported in the Federal Capital Territory and surrounding states. Apart from banditry, terrorism continues to be a challenge in the far north-east, while kidnapping constitutes a major challenge in several other states. Other security challenges include attacks on communities, especially in rural communities, as well as large-scale conflicts that sometimes take on ethnic dimensions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An analysis of conflict patterns in Nigeria by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) over the last ten years, showed that across Nigeria, conflict patterns have changed, with violence being reported in other regions apart from the north-east. Similar observations were made by Human Rights Watch and other security analysts, regarding the changing patterns of violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is safe to say that the security situation in the country has undergone a complete transformation in the past 14 years, since the emergence of Boko Haram. The challenges have continued to mutate, requiring different security responses at various times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Administrative Responses<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While each administration faced insecurity, the nature of the security challenges was different. Between 2011 and now, Nigeria\u2019s security challenges have changed from being primarily an insurgency to multi-faceted security challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When President Goodluck Jonathan took over in 2011, Boko Haram was the main security challenge. The group had become so sophisticated and was engaging in attacks across the country, including suicide attacks, attacks on military installations and even temporarily taking over communities in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states. The immediate security response by the Jonathan administration was to try and counter an organised insurgency that was threatening territorial integrity and engaging in direct confrontations with the military.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The response by the Jonathan administration was to heavily bolster the military, declare a state of emergency in the affected states and also mobilise regional co-operation through the multinational joint task force (MNJTF). While the military response by the MNJTF, Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon, was largely effective in defeating Boko Haram, there were also several challenges in terms of intelligence, logistics, civil-military relations and even political management. The 2014 abduction of Chibok school girls by Boko Haram was a direct result of the weaknesses in the counter-insurgency strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Muhammadu Buhari came into power in 2015, the security situation in Nigeria was changing. Boko Haram had been largely pushed out of the North-east by heavy military response. However, even as the government was declaring victories over Boko Haram, other security challenges were emerging and, in some cases, were becoming more serious than the insurgency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most prominent of the emerging challenges was banditry which was rapidly becoming a major security challenge in the North-West. According to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), the number of attacks recorded in Nigeria dropped slightly in 2015 from 2,519 in 2014. However, the attacks were now taking place in other areas apart from the North-east. The North-western and North-central states also became affected by banditry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Communal clashes between farmers and herders also continued to cause insecurity in several states, including Benue, Plateau and Nasarawa. In addition, there were also sporadic attacks in the South-eastern states attributed to separatists\u2019 movements. In the Niger Delta, there were still episodes of piracy and oil theft. Thus, while Boko Haram was no longer the main security challenge, Nigeria was facing multiple security challenges that required different responses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The response by the Buhari administration to the emerging multiple security challenges was to broaden the scope of the security response. In addition to the military response to banditry and other forms of insecurity, there was also the need to address other causes of insecurity, including communal clashes between herders and farmers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is facing the most diverse range of security challenges that have affected Nigeria since the return to democracy. Instead of dealing with one form of insecurity, his administration is facing multiple challenges that require different security responses. Kidnapping for ransom is still affecting several communities in the North-west and North-central states. There are also attacks in the Federal Capital Territory and surrounding areas. In addition to banditry and attacks on security installations by various vandals groups, there is also renewed sectarian violence in the Middle Belt and attacks in the South-east by separatist groups. The Tinubu administration is presently focusing more on intelligence and technology to address the multiple security challenges, while also continuing to use military response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Living Through Insecurity: How Communities Adapted as Threats Evolved<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For millions of ordinary Nigerians, insecurity is not about the war cries of the government. For them, it is in the decision whether to send their children to school, cultivate the farm, travel to the neighboring village, or keep the shop open. For the administrators in Abuja, insecurity is something to be confronted and beaten using the levers of power. Communities, on the other hand, are encountering insecurity in the form of disrupted farming schedules, displaced people, inflated food prices, and limited freedom of movement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fourteen years of incessant insecurity have defined the lives of many people in Nigeria, not necessarily in where the shooting or bombing is happening but also in how people are living their lives. It has been different for different communities, but what all of them have in common is that they are adjusting to the new normal while waiting for the government to step up and help them resume their lives without the constant fear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We no longer sleep at night, and we spend every night guarding our community because the bandits do not know when to leave us alone. Our children, women, and old people are not comfortable with the situation,” says Hassan Yahuza, a resident of Funtua Local Government Area in Katsina State, describing the devastating effect of banditry that has been ravaging the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Women in some communities in Plateau State are coming up with new ways to help secure their neighborhoods as they wait for the government to take concrete action to end the spate of attacks plaguing the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Representatives of Christian and Muslim faiths in Jos Plateau State in May 2026, formed a vigilante group of women who will play a critical role in helping to end the incessant violence in the communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We are disturbed by the insecurity, and we want to contribute in any way we can to help the situation. Many of those being killed and abducted are our own people, and as mothers, we need to do our part to help put an end to the insecurity in the state,” said Aishatu Musa, a member of the newly formed all-women vigilante group based in Jos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The incessant abduction of school children in Plateau State and across Nigeria has had adverse effects on the education sector. While the direct effect of the attacks has been the trauma and loss of family members, the violence has created such a security situation that has necessitated the closing of schools, and parents have become apprehensive about sending their children to school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“At the peak of violence, we fled to Cameroon, and when it was relatively safe, we came back. The problem discouraged me from going back to school, especially since I was in Primary One at the time. We almost lost our mother, and we lost our uncle in one of those attacks,” said Zara Ahmed, a student and resident of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The effect of insecurity has been felt in the way businesses are being conducted, with many investors being unwilling to operate in certain communities due to the unpredictable security situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many business owners are adjusting to the new security realities by changing where and when they operate. Travelers are also changing their routes as some roads have become unsafe, necessitating them taking longer paths to avoid bandits and other insurgents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Traders say things have become so unsafe that they have to make security adjustments before considering profit margins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Many of our farms are located several kilometers away from our residences, and so going there is very risky. Many people have given up on traveling to their farms. They are only willing to farm in locations close to our homes,” said a farmer from Jos South Local Government Area in Plateau State.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While these insights may not be captured in the security indicators, they are very informative as far as understanding the situation in areas affected by violence. Notably, the effect of the insecurity has been felt in other sectors, including healthcare, education, and community policing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Health workers in conflict-affected areas have noted the disruptions to essential healthcare services as the security situation has hindered the free movement of patients and medical supplies. In addition, human security agencies have also observed that immunization and maternal health services have been disrupted in many of the conflict-affected areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shifting Perceptions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

These experiences also highlight a shift in perceptions. While the Boko Haram insurgency was initially seen as a North-Eastern problem, the emergence of kidnapping, banditry, communal clashes and well-organised criminal networks has helped broaden the understanding of insecurity as a multi-faceted phenomenon needing a multi-sectoral approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Communities have shown incredible resilience, with many security agencies, religious organisations, volunteers and even private companies playing their part in protecting lives and property. In many instances, communities have mobilised to fill security gaps, create early warning systems and even augment state security agencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, analysts warn that while community policing is important, lasting solutions to insecurity can only be achieved through robust state structures, including professional police forces, effective intelligence networks and judiciaries, as well as responsive governance that addresses root causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The experiences of ordinary Nigerians are therefore an answer to the question posed by this article. The country has witnessed an evolution of insecurity, which has affected different regions and aspects of life over the years. Since 2011, when the Boko Haram insurgency peaked, Nigeria has transitioned from relative peace to unprecedented violence and back to an improved but still fragile situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Fourteen Years Reveal About Nigeria’s Security Future<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The experiences of the past fourteen years, under different political administrations, show that insecurity has evolved over time. Each government faced its own unique challenges and deployed different security strategies before the emergence of new threats. The pattern highlights the need for adaptive and comprehensive security policies that take cognizance of the complex nature of contemporary threats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the military response to the Boko Haram insurgency has created room for relative peace in the North-East, the same approach has been deployed in other parts of the country to tackle banditry, kidnapping, and other forms of insecurity. Experience has shown that military action alone cannot guarantee long-term security. Other measures, such as intelligence, policing, judiciary reforms, regional cooperation, economic empowerment, and trust-building between the government and the citizens, are critical components of durable security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The experiences of the past fourteen years are not only about the evolution of insecurity but also about the changing nature of leadership and governance in Nigeria. The country has had three different administrations, each of which has had to contend with its own unique set of challenges. While the military response to Boko Haram has been largely successful, other aspects of security, such as policing, intelligence, and judiciary, have been weakened by political interference and lack of resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The experiences of the past fourteen years show that Nigeria is a country in transition, as far as security is concerned. The challenges have changed, and the responses have also changed. However, the most effective security measures are those that take into account the complex nature of the threats and the capacity of the state to respond to them. The evolution of insecurity in Nigeria is a reminder that the country must invest in robust and adaptive security institutions if it is to achieve long-term peace and stability.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the Beginning In one of the farming communities in Kankara local government area of Katsina State, Northwest Nigeria, women gather at the corner of a market. Instead of discussing the sales of their produce as would have been the norm in times past, they rather talk of the insecurity plaguing the region and how […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":8223,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"saved_in_kubio":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[30,25,28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8058","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-governance","category-security","category-society"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/openafricantribune.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8058","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/openafricantribune.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/openafricantribune.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/openafricantribune.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/openafricantribune.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8058"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/openafricantribune.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8058\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8245,"href":"https:\/\/openafricantribune.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8058\/revisions\/8245"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/openafricantribune.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8223"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/openafricantribune.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8058"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/openafricantribune.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8058"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/openafricantribune.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8058"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}