At noon on Monday, Nigerians paused their businesses to pay respects to more than one thousand persons who have died in 2018 in various violent circumstances.

That it has been an atrocious year as far as internal security is concerned in Nigeria is without question. In the first 70 days of the year, not less than 1,400 were killed through incidents that are generally viewed as preventable if security has been taken as seriously as it demands. But it is a trend that cannot persist; without evidence of a significant end in sight, the duty of patriotism and humanity has roused national outrage, leading to the declaration of a national Day of mourning.

At various locations around the country, citizens organised into different groups of civil society, set up demonstrations consisting of peacefully marching through major streets. In Lagos, groups of people converged at locations in Yaba, Ikeja and Lekki, raising flags and cardboards that depict the plights of Nigerians who increasingly feel unattended to in their vulnerabilities.

But the march is not just for 2018; Nigerians have been dying wretchedly for sometime now without much being said or done about it. Between 2013-2016 in Benue, 878 persons were killed, 222 disappeared and 750 grievously wounded, according to the Enough is Enough coalition. And the march is not just for those who have died to herdsmen alone. The Women Advocates Research & Documentation Centre (WARDC) which held its parade around the Allen Roundabout in Ikeja drew attention to the state of women, hoisting ba nners on info about Nigeria’s despicable records on maternal mortality.

In Abuja, the Unity Fountain which has become synonymous with citizen-led non-violent protests in the last half decade, was the converging point. In shades of black vests, jeans or skirts, the same peaceful manner of singing and waving banners was observed.

At all locations, the same questions which have seemingly remained unanswered were re-echoed in wailing tones: Why are the killings continuing unabated? Who are herdsmen? Is there an agenda to wipe certain people out of existence?

And what is being done to reverse the record of birth-related deaths? What has been done since Bill Gates reminded is in March that Nigeria is the worst place to have a baby in the world? What are the guarantees that the nation’s medical facilities are put in a state of functioning to provide healthcare instead of death beds?

What is the value of a Nigerian life? How low are the standards at the present time that, a day before the nation commemorates the anniversary of nineteen years of democracy, a nationwide march of mourning is not only timely but necessary?

To be sure, these marching activities have been undertaken by individuals and groups without the input of the federal or state governments. But citizen participation, while impressive, could be better. For there to be an effective cease to the killings, such spontaneously organised events will need to involve more citizens becoming concerned about the living conditions of people outside of their immediate environments. The death of any Nigerian must become the business of every Nigerian, and as Aisha Yesufu, a co- convener of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) group would say, “No Nigerian is more Nigerian than any Nigerian”.