The Chairman of the Northern Christian Association (NCA), Rev. John Joseph Hayab, has called on the Federal Government to decisively confront non-state actors threatening the country’s security, saying Nigerians cannot continue to live in fear.
Hayab made the call during a media parley with journalists, where he identified insecurity as one of the major challenges confronting Nigeria and urged the government to demonstrate that it remains in control of the country’s territory.
According to him, the government must not allow non-state actors to dictate the terms of peace and security in any part of the country.
He said, “If Nigerian government will sit up and not allow non-state actors to dictate how our peace should be, honestly, we’ll solve this problem.”
Hayab said the activities of armed groups had not only endangered lives and property but were also encouraging some young people to view criminality as a business opportunity.
He urged the government to strengthen efforts to identify, arrest and prosecute those responsible for acts of violence, arguing that decisive action would send a strong message to other criminal groups.
The NCA chairman said the country’s security challenges were also contributing to other socioeconomic problems, including hunger, disruption of agriculture, closure of schools and markets, and restrictions on movement.
He noted that insecurity had made it difficult for Nigerians to travel freely, conduct businesses and engage in farming, stressing that resolving the security crisis would have a positive impact on several sectors of the economy.
According to him, schools and markets have been forced to close in some areas because of insecurity, while security personnel are deployed to protect road construction projects and other government activities.
He argued that reducing the number of security personnel deployed to protect infrastructure projects could free more personnel to confront criminal elements across the country.
Hayab also linked Nigeria’s development challenges to weak accountability in the electoral process, saying leaders who emerge through credible elections would be more responsive to the people.
He said Nigerians should be able to elect their representatives at all levels and hold them accountable for their performance in office.
“A man who does not legitimately win election is not accountable to the people. He is not accountable to the nation,” he said.
On Nigeria’s 66 years of independence, Hayab said the country had made some progress but should have achieved more in terms of development.
He attributed part of the country’s setbacks to military interventions, ethnic and religious divisions, weak institutions and poor political accountability.
He called for greater national unity, urging Nigerians to see themselves first as citizens of one country rather than allowing ethnic, religious and regional identities to dominate national issues.
Hayab said leaders had a responsibility to promote unity and ensure that public resources were used for the benefit of all Nigerians, regardless of religion or region.
He also spoke in support of investment among Nigerians, urging Christians and other Nigerians to embrace investment as a means of building wealth for future generations.
Reacting to concerns over the purchase of shares in Dangote-related businesses, Hayab said investment should not be viewed through religious or ethnic lenses.
He encouraged Christians to consider investment as part of long-term financial planning, saying shares could help families build wealth and provide for children’s education and other future needs.
“Business has no religion. What Dangote is selling is not Islam. Dangote is selling shares,” he said.
Hayab also encouraged Northerners to invest in businesses owned by people from the region, saying increased local participation could create opportunities for more industries and businesses to establish operations in the North.
He said Nigerians should move away from a culture of consuming all their income and begin to develop a habit of saving and investing for the future.
On the performance of the President Bola Tinubu administration, Hayab said government should be assessed primarily by its responsibility to serve all Nigerians rather than through a religious lens.
He said roads, schools, hospitals and other public infrastructure provided by government were meant for all Nigerians, irrespective of their faith.
However, he said insecurity remained a major concern despite some measures and programmes introduced by the administration.
“Government’s primary responsibility is to protect the lives and properties of citizens,” Hayab said.
He acknowledged that some government initiatives had been introduced in areas such as education and other sectors, but stressed that Nigerians could not fully benefit from such interventions without adequate security.
Hayab therefore urged the government to prioritise security and strengthen democratic accountability, saying credible elections would encourage elected officials to remain responsive to the citizens who gave them their mandates.
He said Nigeria could accelerate its development if citizens and leaders worked together to build stronger institutions, promote national unity and ensure that those entrusted with public office were accountable to the people
