As Nigeria joined the rest of the world to mark the 2025 International Day of Peace, former Minister of Information and elder statesman, Prof. Jerry Gana, has warned that the nation’s porous borders remain a grave threat to peace, security, and development.
Speaking on Monday in Abuja at an event to commemorate both the International Day of Peace and the 25th anniversary of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Gana expressed concern over the ease with which arms and criminal elements infiltrate the country.
“Our borders are porous. People can come in anytime, any day, anyhow, and do whatever they like. It is not responsible. It is not proper,” he said.
He urged the Federal Government to move beyond acknowledging the problem and take urgent action to secure Nigeria’s borders.
“The Federal Government must take the issue of secure borders seriously. Otherwise, insecurity will continue to reign in Nigeria, and peace and comfort will not be our domain,” he warned.
Gana further stressed that peace is more than the absence of war, describing it as “justice in action, leadership with integrity, and fairness in the distribution of resources.” Without peace, he cautioned, national survival, development, and prosperity will remain under severe threat.
He described this year’s theme, “Act Now for a Peaceful World”, as both a “celebration of hope and a summons to urgent action.”
Also speaking, the Director-General of IPCR, Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, highlighted the importance of sustained investment in peacebuilding, particularly as Nigeria battles violent extremism, disinformation, internal conflicts, and widening inequality.
“The world today is a complex tapestry of challenges – from economic inequality to climate-induced conflicts, from violent extremism to divisive narratives on social media. In the face of these headwinds, the message of peace is not a whisper; it is a powerful, urgent clarion call,” Ochogwu said.
While acknowledging the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda as a potential framework for peacebuilding, he cautioned that implementation remains the real challenge.
Despite ongoing peace efforts, Nigeria’s security situation remains dire. Data from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) revealed that at least 2,266 people were killed in violent incidents in the first half of 2025—more than double the 1,083 deaths recorded in the same period in 2024.
One of the deadliest incidents occurred on August 19, when armed bandits attacked a mosque in Unguwan Mantau, Katsina State, killing no fewer than 50 worshippers during early morning prayers.
The global outlook is no less troubling. The 2025 Global Peace Index reported that while 74 countries recorded improvements in peacefulness, 87 others experienced deterioration.
For Gana, these figures underscore the urgency for Nigeria and other nations to embrace equity, fairness, and justice as the foundation of governance.
As the world marked the UN-declared International Day of Peace, he reminded leaders that peace is not an aspiration but a lived reality that must be built through deliberate action.
