“66th Independence: GOMEP-NG Urges Urgent Action on Insecurity, Floods, Economic Hardship”

For millions of Nigerians, Independence Day is being marked amid insecurity, floods, rising hardship and uncertainty about tomorrow.

GOMEP-NG has urged the Federal, State and Local Governments to take urgent and sustained action against insecurity, flooding and economic hardship as Nigeria marks its 66th Independence Anniversary. The guild also called for stronger disaster preparedness, better security coordination, transparency in relief efforts and responsible journalism.

As Nigeria marks its 66th Independence Anniversary on October 1, 2026, the Guild of Online Media Editors and Publishers of Nigeria (GOMEP-NG) has urged governments at all levels to confront insecurity, flooding, poverty and economic hardship with greater urgency, compassion and decisive action.

The call was contained in a statement issued to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary and signed by Tochukwu Eluwa, National Publicity Secretary of GOMEP-NG.

GOMEP-NG felicitated Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora, but said the anniversary should also provide an opportunity for sober reflection on the challenges confronting millions of citizens.

For many Nigerians, the celebration is taking place against the backdrop of insecurity, flooding, displacement, unemployment, rising living costs, damaged infrastructure and growing economic pressure on families and communities.

The guild noted that while Independence Day is traditionally a time for celebration, it should also remind leaders of their responsibility to protect lives, provide basic infrastructure and create conditions in which citizens can live and work with dignity.

Insecurity: “Behind every figure is a Nigerian life”

GOMEP-NG expressed concern over continuing reports of banditry, kidnapping, terrorism and armed attacks in different parts of the country.

Recent security reports have recorded hundreds of incidents, with Zamfara, Niger, Kano and Sokoto among the states reporting significant security challenges, while Borno continues to face a serious insurgency threat.

The guild also referenced reports from Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, where nearly 700 people were reportedly abducted in coordinated attacks, prompting families to protest and demand the release of their loved ones.

GOMEP-NG said such incidents should not be reduced to statistics.

“Behind every kidnapping figure is a father, mother, child, student, farmer, trader or community whose life has been disrupted,” the guild said.

It therefore called on governments to strengthen intelligence gathering, inter-agency cooperation and community-based security mechanisms.

Security agencies, it added, should be provided with the equipment, training, welfare and operational support required to protect citizens effectively.

The guild also stressed the need for security interventions to become more preventive, rather than waiting until attacks have occurred before communities receive meaningful assistance.

Flooding requires more than seasonal warnings

On flooding, GOMEP-NG called for a shift from seasonal warnings to long-term prevention and disaster preparedness.

It noted that several states, including Cross River, Ebonyi, Anambra, Benue, Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Abia, Imo, Enugu, Kogi, Edo and Taraba, have faced significant flood risks or damaging floods.

The guild further noted that the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NiHSA) has identified states and communities at risk of riverine flooding, with homes, schools, roads, farms and businesses potentially exposed.

By September 30, reports had indicated that flooding had already claimed lives, displaced residents, submerged homes, damaged infrastructure and disrupted economic activities in different parts of the country.

“These are not merely environmental statistics. They are Nigerian lives,” GOMEP-NG said.

The guild noted that behind the flood figures are farmers who lose their harvests, traders whose businesses are destroyed, children unable to attend school and families forced to abandon their homes.

It therefore called for early warning systems to be matched with early action.

According to the guild, vulnerable communities should be identified before disasters occur, while drainage systems, flood-control infrastructure, river monitoring, emergency shelters and evacuation plans should receive sustained attention.

The recurring destruction of roads, bridges, schools, farms, homes and businesses, it said, should compel governments to invest more in disaster preparedness and climate-resilient infrastructure.

GOMEP-NG also commended the efforts of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), NiHSA and other emergency-response institutions, while calling for stronger coordination between federal, state and local authorities.

Transparency needed in relief interventions

The guild also called for greater transparency and accountability in the management of funds and interventions meant for victims of floods, insecurity and other disasters.

It said Nigerians affected by emergencies should be able to see that relief materials, financial assistance and other interventions reach the intended beneficiaries.

“Citizens who have lost their homes, livelihoods or loved ones deserve a transparent and accountable response,” the guild said.

“Responsible journalism must not mean silence”

GOMEP-NG said online media organisations also have a responsibility to Nigerians, particularly at a time when unverified information can spread rapidly and deepen public fear.

The guild urged online publishers and editors to verify information before publication, protect vulnerable victims and reject misinformation, hate speech and inciting content.

However, it stressed that responsible journalism should not be mistaken for silence.

“The media must speak when citizens are suffering,” the guild said.

It added that journalists must continue to ask difficult questions, document developments in communities, hold institutions accountable and amplify the voices of victims.

According to the guild, the plight of citizens should not disappear from public attention simply because the news cycle has moved on.

“Independence is also the freedom to live without fear”

GOMEP-NG said the meaning of independence should extend beyond the freedom achieved in 1960.

“Independence is not only about the freedom achieved in 1960. It is also about the freedom to live without fear.

“The freedom to travel safely.

“The freedom to farm without being attacked.

“The freedom to send children to school without fear.

“The freedom to sleep peacefully in one’s home.

“The freedom to build a business without losing everything to disaster.

“The freedom to hope.”

The guild said these freedoms should remain central to Nigeria’s journey as a nation.

It also urged Nigerians not to lose faith in the country despite the difficulties confronting citizens.

According to GOMEP-NG, the resilience of Nigerians remains one of the country’s greatest strengths, but resilience should not become an excuse for inadequate leadership.

“Citizens can be resilient, but government must be responsible,” the guild said.

As Nigeria marks 66 years of nationhood, GOMEP-NG urged leaders to listen more closely to the concerns of ordinary Nigerians and demonstrate leadership not only during crises but also in preventing those crises from becoming recurring tragedies.

The guild called for a Nigeria where government is closer to the people, security is treated as a fundamental responsibility, disasters are anticipated rather than merely responded to, and every citizen—regardless of region, religion, ethnicity or social status—can live with dignity and hope.

“The Nigerian story is unfinished. The responsibility to write a better chapter belongs to all of us,” the guild said.

GOMEP-NG wished Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora a peaceful and reflective 66th Independence Anniversary.

The guild also paid tribute to those who fought for Nigeria’s independence, expressing hope that their sacrifices would continue to inspire the building of a nation worthy of their dreams.

Happy Independence Day, Nigeria.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.