The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has warned that Nigeria may witness nationwide civil protests if the Federal Government fails to urgently address the worsening insecurity, economic hardship and what it described as the ruling elite’s obsession with the 2027 elections.
The group applauded residents of Ekpoma, Edo State, for staging peaceful protests against the rising wave of kidnappings for ransom, describing the demonstration as a justified expression of public frustration over the near-collapse of security across the country.
The national Cordinator of HURIWA, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko in a statement on sunday condemned persistent attacks on schoolchildren, farming communities and other soft targets, particularly in Northern Nigeria, accusing both the Federal Government and state administrations of neglecting their constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property.
According to the organisation, the protest in Ekpoma is a warning sign of broader unrest that could engulf the nation if governance failures persist.
“It is our projection that the combination of uncontrollable cost of living, mass youth unemployment, rising electricity tariffs, poor power supply, high petrol and cooking gas prices, collapsing health and education systems, poor road infrastructure, unpopular taxation policies and unchecked terrorism and kidnappings may push Nigerians to the wall,” HURIWA said.
The group warned that these pressures could trigger protests “bigger than the 2020 #EndSARS demonstrations,” stressing that repression would not stop mass resistance if citizens feel abandoned by the state.
HURIWA criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what it described as a lack of focused leadership, accusing him of prioritising foreign trips and re-election politics over national security. The group faulted the President for travelling abroad without formally handing over to an acting president at a time when kidnappers and terrorists are escalating attacks nationwide.
In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, HURIWA accused the Federal Government of issuing “toothless threats” against terrorists, noting that armed groups continue to expand attacks on schools, markets and rural communities with little resistance.
The rights group referenced the Ekpoma protest, which disrupted commercial activities and saw students of Ambrose Alli University join residents in condemning kidnappings in the town. Protesters also pulled down political campaign billboards, reflecting anger over early electioneering amid growing insecurity.
While Edo State officials and the police announced the rescue of abducted victims and the deployment of security assets, HURIWA insisted that isolated operations do not address the systemic failure confronting Nigerians nationwide.
The group argued that recent changes in security leadership have not translated into improved safety, blaming the situation on what it called “the absence of good and charismatic leadership at the very top.”
HURIWA urged President Tinubu, state governors and the FCT Minister to abandon premature campaign calculations and focus squarely on governance, security and economic recovery.
“The insecurity has escalated beyond imagination. Never in the last 30 years did Nigerians think the country could sink this low,” the statement read.
The organisation warned that continued neglect could provoke spontaneous mass protests, stressing that the use of force against peaceful demonstrators would only worsen the crisis.
“This government is playing with fire. Nigerians are losing patience,” HURIWA said, adding that leaders must demonstrate a clear change of direction or face inevitable public resistance.
HURIWA Warns of Nationwide Protests Over Kidnappings, Crime Waves
