The Guild of Online Media Editors and Publishers of Nigeria (GOMEP-NG) has urged governments at all levels to urgently tackle insecurity, flooding, poverty, unemployment and rising living costs confronting Nigerians.
GOMEP-NG made the call in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Tochukwu Eluwa, to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary.
The guild, while felicitating Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora, said the anniversary should be a period not only for celebration but also for sober reflection on the challenges facing citizens.
It said insecurity, including banditry, kidnapping and armed attacks, continued to threaten lives and livelihoods in several parts of the country.
The guild cited recent security reports indicating hundreds of incidents across the country, with Zamfara, Niger, Kano and Sokoto among states recording significant incidents, while Borno continued to face insurgency challenges.
It also expressed concern over reported coordinated attacks in Borgu, Niger State, where nearly 700 people were reportedly abducted, describing the development as a painful reminder of the human cost of insecurity.
“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 called for a shift from seasonal warnings to sustained preventive measures, saying communities across several states had suffered deaths, displacement and destruction of homes, roads, farms, schools and businesses.
It urged federal, state and local authorities to strengthen early-warning systems, flood-control infrastructure, river monitoring, emergency shelters and evacuation mechanisms.
The guild also called for improved coordination among the National Emergency Management Agency, Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency and other emergency-response institutions.
“Early warning systems must be matched with early action,” it said, adding that vulnerable communities should be identified and supported before disasters occur.
GOMEP-NG further demanded transparency and accountability in the management of disaster-relief funds, stressing that victims of floods and insecurity should receive assistance intended for them.
On security, the guild urged government to strengthen intelligence gathering, inter-agency coordination and community-based security mechanisms, while improving the welfare, training, equipment and operational capacity of security personnel.
The media body also acknowledged its responsibility in the fight against misinformation, urging online publishers to verify information before publication and avoid content capable of creating panic, hatred or incitement.
It, however, stressed that responsible journalism should not amount to silence when citizens are suffering.
“The media must speak when citizens are suffering. We must ask difficult questions, document what is happening in our communities, hold institutions accountable and amplify the voices of victims,” it said.
GOMEP-NG described independence as more than the freedom attained in 1960, arguing that Nigerians should also enjoy the freedom to live without fear, travel safely, farm without attacks, send children to school safely and conduct businesses without being devastated by disasters.
The guild urged Nigerians not to lose faith in the country, but cautioned that citizens’ resilience should not become an excuse for inadequate leadership.
“Citizens can be resilient, but government must be responsible,” it said.
The guild called on leaders to use the anniversary to renew their commitment to building a Nigeria where government is closer to the people, security is treated as a fundamental responsibility and disasters are anticipated rather than merely responded to.
GOMEP-NG wished Nigerians a peaceful and reflective 66th Independence Anniversary, urging citizens and leaders to work collectively towards a nation where every Nigerian can live with dignity and hope.
It said: “The Nigerian story is unfinished. The responsibility to write a better chapter belongs to all of us.”
