As Nigeria clocked 66 years of independence on October 1, 2026, the Guild of Online Media Editors and Publishers of Nigeria (GOMEP-NG) used the occasion to urge the Federal Government and all tiers of authority to confront rising insecurity, deadly floods and worsening economic hardship with urgent, coordinated and measurable action.
In an Independence Day statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Tochukwu Eluwa, GOMEP-NG felicitated Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora but described the anniversary as “both a moment of celebration and an opportunity for sober reflection” on the challenges ordinary citizens face daily.
The guild said 66 years after independence, millions of Nigerians are still grappling with insecurity, flooding, displacement, poverty, unemployment, rising living costs, damaged infrastructure and the uncertainty these impose on families and communities.
Insecurity: from statistics to human stories
GOMEP-NG stressed that there is “little room for celebration” for citizens whose lives and property remain under threat from banditry, kidnapping, terrorism and other forms of violence.
Citing recent security reports, it noted continued attacks across the country, with Zamfara, Niger, Kano and Sokoto among states recording high levels of insecurity, while Borno continues to face a serious insurgency challenge.
The statement singled out the situation in Borgu, Niger State, where nearly 700 people were reportedly abducted in coordinated attacks, describing the incident as a painful reminder that insecurity is more than statistics.
“Behind every kidnapping figure is a father, mother, child, student, farmer, trader or community whose life has been disrupted,” the guild said.
On flooding, GOMEP-NG said the situation across several states requires urgent and sustained intervention, listing communities in Cross River, Ebonyi, Anambra, Benue, Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Abia, Imo, Enugu, Kogi, Edo and Taraba as areas exposed to significant flood risks. This aligns with warnings from the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NiHSA), which in September 2026 flagged 15 states at high risk of riverine flooding, including Imo, Cross River, Ebonyi, Benue, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Edo, Bayelsa, Enugu, Kogi, Delta, Abia, Taraba, Rivers and Lagos.
NiHSA’s advisory warned that rising river levels could affect thousands of communities and schools, with Cross River alone having over 2,400 communities, hundreds of schools and health facilities, markets, religious centres and farmland within flood-exposure zones.
As of September 30, flooding had already caused deaths, displacement, submerged homes, damaged roads and infrastructure, and disrupted economic activities in different parts of the country, the guild said.
“These are not merely environmental or security statistics. They are Nigerian lives,” GOMEP-NG stated.
The guild urged federal, state and local governments to strengthen collaboration and adopt practical, measurable and sustained measures to address insecurity and flooding.
On security, the Guild called for stronger intelligence gathering and inter-agency coordination as community-based security mechanisms, Enhanced operational capacity for security agencies to prevent attacks before they occur. Greater attention to the welfare, equipment, training and operational capacity of security personnel who risk their lives protecting citizens.
On flooding, GOMEP-NG demanded a shift from seasonal warnings to permanent, preventive solutions, insisting that early-warning systems must be matched with early action.
It urged authorities to identify and support vulnerable communities before disasters occur
Invest in drainage systems, flood-control infrastructure, river monitoring, emergency shelters and evacuation mechanisms
Treat the recurring destruction of homes, roads, bridges, farms, schools and businesses as a compelling reason to invest more seriously in disaster preparedness and climate-resilient infrastructure.
While commending agencies such as NEMA and NiHSA, the guild stressed that the scale of the challenge requires stronger coordination among federal, state and local authorities, as well as greater transparency and accountability in managing disaster-relief funds.
As online media editors and publishers, GOMEP-NG acknowledged its own responsibility to promote responsible information dissemination, particularly when unverified reports can heighten public fear. It pledged that practitioners must verify information before publication, report responsibly, protect vulnerable victims and reject misinformation, hate speech and inciting content.
“However, responsible journalism must not translate into silence when citizens are suffering,” the guild said, adding that the media must ask difficult questions, document what is happening in communities and hold institutions accountable.
GOMEP-NG further called for the voices of victims to be amplified and their plight kept in public focus beyond the immediate news cycle. Redefining independence: freedom from fear and disaster The guild said the meaning of independence should extend beyond the freedom achieved in 1960 to include:
Freedom to live without fear
Freedom to travel safely
Freedom to farm without attack
Freedom to send children to school safely
Freedom to sleep peacefully at home and build businesses without losing everything to insecurity or disaster.
It urged Nigerians not to lose faith in the country despite current difficulties, noting that the resilience of its people remains one of Nigeria’s greatest strengths—but warned that this resilience should not become an excuse for inadequate leadership.
“Citizens can be resilient, but government must be responsible,” GOMEP-NG said.
As Nigeria marks 66 years of nationhood, the guild called for renewed commitment to building a country where government is closer to the people, security is treated as a fundamental responsibility, disasters are anticipated rather than merely responded to, and every Nigerian 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 added.