A public affairs commentary by Dr. Zainab Suleiman Buhari is generating conversations online after she described Nigeria as “a country with a gate but no fence,” using the metaphor to highlight the country’s persistent security, governance, and socio-economic challenges.
In the article published on July 5, 2026, Dr. Buhari argues that Nigeria’s insecurity goes far beyond armed violence, describing it as the outcome of deep-rooted structural problems including poverty, weak institutions, corruption, unemployment, and the absence of effective governance.
Using vivid imagery, Dr. Buhari writes that although Nigeria presents itself as a giant nation with enormous human and natural resources, its institutions remain too weak to adequately protect citizens.
“We are a country with a gate but no fence. That is why the wolves keep walking in,” she wrote.
According to her, insecurity across different parts of the country—including banditry, kidnapping, terrorism, communal clashes, and attacks by unknown gunmen—should not be viewed as isolated crises but as different manifestations of the same underlying governance failures.
She cited recurring violence in states such as Zamfara, Benue, and the North-East, as well as kidnappings along major highways, arguing that these incidents share common roots.
The article contends that widespread poverty and unemployment have made criminality an attractive alternative for many young people.
Dr. Buhari argues that when education, farming, and legitimate businesses become less rewarding than crime, society creates conditions that allow insecurity to flourish.
She also criticized delays in the justice system, noting that victims often wait years for justice while criminal networks continue to operate.
According to her, effective security requires more than military operations.
“You cannot kill an ideology with bullets,” she wrote, adding that governments must create opportunities that make lawful livelihoods more attractive than criminal activities.
Corruption Has Human Costs
Beyond financial misconduct, Dr. Buhari described corruption as the everyday failure of public institutions to provide essential services.
She argued that corruption manifests in poorly equipped hospitals, understaffed schools, inadequate policing, and weak public infrastructure.
According to the commentary, when governments fail to provide security and basic services, communities increasingly resort to vigilante groups and other forms of self-help, creating parallel security structures that can weaken national unity.
“A nation cannot survive as a collection of fortresses,” she wrote.
The commentary also expresses concern that Nigerians are becoming desensitized to violence.
Dr. Buhari observed that reports of killings have become so frequent that many people now react briefly before moving on with daily life.
She warned that when citizens become accustomed to tragedy and prioritize ethnic, religious, or political loyalties over justice and accountability, violence becomes easier to sustain.
“The first casualty of war is truth. The second is outrage,” she stated.
Economic Consequences of Insecurity
The article argues that insecurity carries significant economic costs beyond the immediate loss of lives.
According to Dr. Buhari, farmers unable to access their lands contribute to rising food prices, while attacks on schools increase educational disruption and future unemployment.
She also linked insecurity to reduced investment and continued migration of skilled professionals, including doctors, nurses, and teachers, seeking better opportunities abroad.
These developments, she argues, create a cycle in which fear fuels poverty, poverty fuels recruitment into violence, and violence further discourages economic growth.
Proposed Solutions
Rather than relying solely on security operations, Dr. Buhari called for comprehensive reforms centered on:
- Strengthening the rule of law through swift and impartial justice.
- Expanding educational and employment opportunities for young people.
- Fighting corruption at all levels of government.
- Investing in policing, roads, schools, healthcare, and public institutions.
- Promoting national unity above ethnic, religious, and partisan divisions.
- Preserving empathy for victims of violence and demanding accountability.
She stressed that sustainable peace depends on building institutions that offer citizens hope, opportunity, and confidence in the future.
A Call for Collective Responsibility
Dr. Buhari concluded by urging Nigerians to complement government efforts with greater civic responsibility.
She encouraged citizens to participate in elections, demand accountability from public officials, reject corruption in everyday life, and teach future generations to prioritize national unity over sectional interests.
“The question is not ‘Who will save us?'” she wrote. “The question is: What are we willing to do differently tomorrow that we refused to do yesterday?”
The commentary ends with a call to “build the fence” through justice, education, employment, effective governance, and collective national commitment, arguing that these remain the most durable foundations for lasting peace and security in Nigeria.
