Shehu Sani Calls on Northern Nigerians to Protect Their Communities Amid Rising Insecurity

Former Senator Shehu Sani has urged people in northern Nigeria to take greater responsibility for their own safety as insecurity worsens across the region. Speaking at a book launch in Abuja, Sani described banditry and terrorism as severe threats that have outpaced government efforts to contain them, saying that communities can no longer depend solely on the state’s security forces.

At the event, where he also presented his new stage play and books, Sani stressed that organising at the local level and supporting one another is critical to confronting armed groups that have displaced and terrorised rural populations in states such as Zamfara, Katsina, Kebbi, and parts of Kaduna and Niger. He highlighted that the number of bandits and terrorists is small compared to the country’s population, and urged citizens to mobilise and defend their communities together.

Sani’s remarks reflect growing frustration with the federal government’s ability to address persistent violence despite long-running military efforts, and echo calls from civil society leaders for greater community-led responses to insecurity.