Image is AI generated
Yesterday I heard the news about Maiduguri (Northern Nigeria state) and honestly felt a mix of anger and hopelessness. The insecurities in Nigeria are common news, but actually reading through the news and details of what happened makes the number of lives affected all the more startling.
From what I heard, sometime around 7pm on March 16, 2026 after the breaking of fast (Iftar), a series of bomb blasts tore through Maiduguri in different locations of the city. Over a hundred people were wounded and about 23 people lost their lives; these were not just numbers but human beings who stepped out for a normal evening, people trying to have a meal after a long fast that minutes earlier they were happily preparing for.
Adding insult to injury is the nature of the bombing; the timing and location show clear intent and that the bombers are fully aware of what they are doing. They clearly planned it, they executed it flawlessly, and innocent people have been killed and maimed.
While people were busy mourning and scrambling to safety, what struck me as highly incomprehensible is the action, or lack thereof, by the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu who was said to be having a meet and greet session and taking pictures in the United Kingdom. I'm not particularly angry at the visit itself, but it signifies that a lot more is needed than photo opportunities and that whatever is happening on the ground may not even have the necessary urgency on the highest of levels.
It makes it much more unbearable knowing that this isn't the first attack in Maiduguri, nor will it likely be the last for a long time; repeated attacks that happen but seemingly result in no significant changes. The public is expected to carry on with their lives as though it's now 'normal' to live with fear and to experience such horrifying events.
I keep asking myself how and why a nation can get to such a state of hopelessness that it's not safe for even the simplest things, like the breaking of fast. I cannot comprehend the fear and trepidation that must be overwhelming at times like these.
But there is also the growing frustration that ordinary people are just left to deal with the situations they are thrown into. We hear the news, we get the presidential statements and we wait, and the people continue to hope and pray, only to be dealt with by another tragedy again.
It's a clear indication of the failure of the system to protect its citizens, and right now the real question isn't what happened, but what is going to be done to ensure this doesn't continue. Because if nothing is done, we are just waiting for the next occurrence, and there's absolutely nothing comfortable about that reality.