Before Nigeria gained independence, traditional institutions played a significant role in maintaining order and protecting our communities. Our traditional rulers were not merely ceremonial figures. They were custodians of our societies, responsible for maintaining peace, resolving disputes and ensuring that people within their communities were accounted for.
Then came the transatlantic slave trade, a dark chapter in our history in which human beings were traded for material goods, including mirrors, weapons and other commodities. Millions of Africans were forcibly taken from their homelands under brutal conditions, while some local authorities and intermediaries participated in the trade for their own benefit. The abolition of the slave trade came through a complex combination of resistance, political struggles, economic changes and abolitionist movements. Yet, the betrayal and exploitation of fellow Africans remain painful parts of that history.
Why am I bringing up these historical events in 2026?
Because, once again, we are witnessing a crisis of trust. The very people entrusted with protecting our communities, from traditional rulers to elected political leaders, are being questioned over their roles in the insecurity devastating our region.
Arewa once had community structures that helped maintain security and accountability. From the Sarki at the Emirate level down to the Mai Anguwa at the grassroots, traditional institutions played important roles in knowing who lived within their communities, where newcomers came from and why they had chosen to settle there. These systems were not perfect, but they provided channels through which suspicious activities could be reported and local disputes addressed.
Today, we are confronted with disturbing allegations that some people who should be helping to protect our communities are instead providing information to bandits. There are also allegations of complicity involving individuals in positions of traditional and political authority. Where such allegations are supported by credible evidence, those responsible must be held accountable, regardless of their titles or positions.
How can we defeat banditry when the very structures meant to protect us are compromised? How can communities feel safe when they suspect that information about their movements, homes and livelihoods may be reaching those who intend to harm them?
We must restore a culture of community vigilance, responsible reporting and accountability. Traditional institutions must reclaim their role in community protection, while security agencies must act on credible intelligence and investigate allegations impartially. Elected officials must also be held accountable for their actions and for the use of their offices.
This is not a call to return blindly to the past. It is a call to recover the useful aspects of our traditional systems while strengthening them with effective, lawful and accountable modern security institutions.
We cannot continue to pay ransom, lose our loved ones and watch criminal networks grow stronger while the people responsible for protecting us fail to act. Nor should innocent people be subjected to suspicion or punishment without evidence.
Arewa must confront the possibility of betrayal from within, demand accountability from those in positions of trust, and rebuild the community structures that once helped people look out for one another.
Otherwise, we will continue to live in fear, vulnerable to those who prey on our communities, while the very people we trust to protect us may be failing us.
