As Nigeria marked its 65th Independence anniversary on October 1, 2025, a legal practitioner and human rights advocate, Adamu Kabiru Adamu, has lamented that millions of Nigerians in the northern region cannot truly celebrate freedom while living under the grip of banditry and insecurity.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Adamu described the situation in the North as a “grim reality” where communities continue to suffer from relentless kidnappings, bloodshed, displacement, and closure of schools.
“Independence is meant to symbolize freedom, safety, and dignity. Yet for many Nigerians—especially in the North—there is no true independence when bandits dictate movement, silence voices, and destroy livelihoods,” he said.
The statement questioned the essence of the celebration, asking whether Nigerians were “celebrating the continuous abduction of school children, the displacement of innocent citizens from their ancestral homes, or the bloodshed that has become routine in villages and highways.”
Adamu stressed that the people of Northern Nigeria deserve peace, justice, and genuine in freedom, urging both the Federal and State Governments, as well as security agencies, to prioritize the protection of lives and property across the region.
“History will not judge leaders by the parades they hold but by the safety and dignity they guarantee their people. Until Northern Nigeria is free from banditry, independence celebrations remain incomplete,” the statement added.
