AS THE ARBAEEN TREK CULMINATES IN ABUJA: WILL THE GUNS FALL SILENT AGAIN?

By Professor Abdullahi Danladi

2/8/2026 

(18/2/1448)

As the Arbaeen trek reaches its climax in Abuja, Nigeria once again stands at a crossroads. It is not merely another religious procession. It is another opportunity for the Nigerian state to answer a question that has echoed through the conscience of this nation for far too long: has Nigeria finally learned the value of human life, or will it once again choose the language of bullets over the language of reason?

This question is not born out of fear. It is born out of painful experience. We have seen the consequences of needless bloodshed. We have watched peaceful religious gatherings turn into scenes of mourning. We have buried fathers, mothers, sons and daughters whose only offence was their determination to express their faith peacefully. We have written their names in our hearts, not to cultivate hatred, but to ensure that history is never permitted to erase their sacrifice.

In my earlier reflections, "When the Guns Fell Silent," I argued that Nigeria loses nothing when restraint triumphs over force. On the contrary, every time the guns remain silent, the nation wins. Every life protected is a victory for Nigeria. Every procession that concludes peacefully is a triumph of wisdom over arrogance and professionalism over recklessness.

As thousands of pilgrims walk towards Abuja in remembrance of Imam Husayn (A.S.), they do so inspired by the greatest lesson of Karbala: that truth is more precious than comfort, that dignity is more valuable than life itself, and that justice demands perseverance even when the cost is enormous. Karbala did not produce a generation that fears death; it produced generations that refuse to abandon truth because of the fear of death.

Let no one misunderstand this message. Those who walk in the path of Husayn do not seek violence, nor do they provoke conflict. They pray for peace because peace protects the innocent. They cooperate because order benefits society. They obey the law because stability serves everyone. But neither intimidation nor the threat of force can extinguish convictions rooted in faith and history. The remembrance of Karbala has survived empires, tyrants and centuries of persecution. It cannot be erased by intimidation.

If, despite every effort to preserve peace, innocent lives are once again taken, it will not be because the pilgrims desired confrontation. It will be because those entrusted with protecting citizens failed in that sacred responsibility. Those who commemorate Karbala understand sacrifice; they do not celebrate death, but neither are they prepared to abandon truth out of fear. Their greatest aspiration is to live honourably and peacefully, yet they also believe that there are values worth every sacrifice. That conviction has sustained this movement for decades and will continue to sustain it.

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The real question, therefore, is not whether the pilgrims are prepared to endure hardship. History has already answered that. The real question is whether Nigeria is prepared to change.

How many more opportunities does this nation require before it demonstrates to the world that it has matured into a constitutional democracy that it claims to uphold, where peaceful religious processions are protected rather than feared? How much longer should Nigeria's image be tarnished by recurring allegations of excessive force against unarmed civilians? How many more commissions of inquiry, promises of reform and official statements must be issued before the simple principle that every human life is sacred is reflected in practice?

This year's Arbaeen presents an opportunity that should not be squandered. The world is watching, but more importantly, history is watching. Nations earn respect not by the size of their arsenals but by the wisdom with which they exercise power. The mark of a civilised society is not its ability to deploy force, but its ability to govern peacefully, respect constitutional freedoms and protect every citizen regardless of religious persuasion.

The security agencies have an opportunity to demonstrate professionalism worthy of a great nation. The government has an opportunity to reassure its citizens that peaceful assembly is not a crime. Nigeria has an opportunity to show that it has learned from its painful past.

As the pilgrims approach Abuja, our prayer remains exactly as it was when I first asked whether the guns would fall silent. Let this year be remembered not because blood was shed, but because wisdom prevailed. Let mothers welcome their children home with smiles rather than tears. Let security personnel return to their families having fulfilled their duty without taking innocent lives. Let Nigeria show Africa and the world that it is capable of behaving as a mature society governed by law, justice and respect for human dignity.

The pilgrims have fulfilled their responsibility by choosing the path of peace. The responsibility now rests with the Nigerian authorities. They can either write another painful chapter that future generations will regret, or they can write a new chapter in which restraint, justice and humanity triumph over suspicion and force.

The pilgrims are walking with the message of Karbala.

May Nigeria answer with the wisdom of a nation that has finally learned that the greatest victory is not won by the gun, but by the decision to keep it silent.