By Otunba (Dr) Abdulfalil Abayomi Odunowo
Every night, across the length and breadth of Nigeria, millions of us drift into sleep with quiet confidence.
Mothers pull blankets over their children, whispering prayers for tomorrow. Fathers lock the doors, believing the morning will come gently. Lovers hold each other, businesses rest, and entire communities exhale after another long day.
Yet while the nation sleeps, a different set of Nigerians remains awake eyes sharp, hearts steady, spirits unbroken.
They are our soldiers, police officers, intelligence agents, civil defence personnel, and other dedicated security operatives. These are the silent guardians who stand between our fragile peace and the forces of chaos, terror, and darkness. In the thick forests of the North-West, the treacherous creeks of the Niger Delta, the lonely highways, and the forgotten villages far from the lights of the city, they keep watch.
They endure what most of us cannot even imagine.
Scorching sun by day. Chilling harmattan by night. Weeks sometimes months away from the warm embrace of family. Meals eaten in haste. Uniforms worn until they are threadbare. Sleep snatched in dangerous corners. And always, the heavy shadow of death walking beside them.
Every foiled ambush, every rescued hostage, every criminal syndicate dismantled, and every community returned to safety carries a hidden price. That price is paid in the sweat, tears, blood, and sometimes the lives of these brave men and women who willingly step into harm’s way so that the rest of us may live, love, and dream in relative peace.
Too often, our public conversation dwells only on their failures while their quiet victories go unsung. Yes, challenges exist. Yes, we must continue to demand accountability, professionalism, and reform. But let us never forget the human faces behind the uniforms fathers who miss their children’s birthdays, mothers who leave their babies in the care of relatives, young men and women who carry the weight of an entire nation on their shoulders.
And what of their families?
Imagine the quiet anxiety of a wife lying awake at night, wondering if this deployment will be the last. The confused questions of children asking, “When is Daddy coming home?” The lonely evenings of aging parents who pray daily for their son or daughter in uniform. These families do not wear the camouflage, but they carry the sacrifice just as deeply.
It is easy to criticise from the safety of our homes, the comfort of our offices, or the glow of our phone screens. It is infinitely harder to stand on a lonely checkpoint at 3 a.m., heart pounding, knowing that one wrong move could end everything.
Our security personnel are not machines. They are flesh and blood our brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, husbands, wives, friends, and neighbours. They have chosen, day after day, duty over comfort, service over self, and courage over fear.
As a people, we must build a new culture one rooted in deep gratitude, empathy, and unwavering support. Supporting our security forces does not mean ignoring their challenges. It means recognising their humanity, celebrating their courage, and fighting for the things they deserve: decent housing, modern equipment, proper healthcare, timely salaries and allowances, and comprehensive care for the families of those who never return.
Because a nation that asks its sons and daughters to lay down their lives for its peace has a sacred duty to stand by them in return.
Tonight, as you prepare to sleep, pause for a moment.
Think of the young soldier far away in the bush. The policewoman on night patrol. The intelligence officer working silently in the shadows. They are not just “security agents.” They are the reason your child can sleep peacefully. They are the reason you can still dream of a better tomorrow.
To every man and woman in uniform protecting Nigeria today we see you. We honour you. We thank you from the depths of our hearts.
Your courage lights up our darkness.
Your sacrifices make our peace possible.
Your resilience gives us hope.
May the Almighty God shield you with His mighty hands, comfort your families, and grant you strength for the days ahead.
And may Nigeria never forget those who stand guard while the nation sleeps.
Otunba (Dr.) Abdulfalil Abayomi Odunowo Convener, Ijebu Lokan Fun Itesiwaju Ijebu Movement
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