Nigeria has capacity to tackle insecurity – Ex U.S. Army officer

From Sola Ojo, Abuja

A former United States military officer and missionary journalist, Antonio Graceffo, has expressed confidence in Nigeria’s ability to address its security challenges, while also calling for greater international support.

Graceffo spoke during the Christian Awareness Initiative of Nigeria in partnership with Palace Alliance, The Rod and the Staff Conference 2026, held at ECWA Kaduna South DCC, Angwan Yelwa, Television, and Kaduna, from May 7 to 8, 2026.

Speaking on the persistent attacks in parts of the country, he warned against becoming desensitised to violence and loss of lives.

“The problem here is that these attacks are happening every single day and people are becoming numb to it.

“It is horrible that 10 people can get killed and it begins to look normal because it also happened yesterday or the day before,” he said.

He urged Nigerians to remain prayerful, preserve their humanity, and avoid hatred despite the difficult circumstances.

“We need to find ways to secure our villages and keep people safe, but at the same time, we must not allow hate to grow in our hearts because we do not want the situation to escalate,” he added.

On whether Nigeria has the capacity to independently tackle insecurity without relying heavily on foreign interventions, Graceffo said the country possesses the necessary human and institutional resources to address the challenge.

“I think Nigeria definitely has the capacity to do this.

“You have intelligent people, dedicated people, and existing structures such as tribal systems, community structures, and worship centres that can work together,” he added.