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U.S. Raises Concerns Over Nigeria’s Security and Humanitarian Crisis — Otunba Segun Showunmi Warns Leadership
Otunba Segun Showunmi, Convener of The Alternative, has raised strong concerns over Nigeria’s worsening security and humanitarian situation following a high-level engagement with a senior U.S. congressional figure directly involved in shaping America’s policy toward Nigeria.
In an internal briefing note, Showunmi disclosed that the United States now views Nigeria’s internal crisis with unprecedented seriousness, describing Washington’s posture as “firm, focused, and deeply concerned.”
According to Showunmi, American authorities have conducted extensive consultations with government and civil society stakeholders both in Washington and in Nigeria. Their conclusion, he said, is that the situation in several regions—particularly Benue, Plateau, Southern Kaduna, the Middle Belt, and among moderate Muslim communities in the North—has escalated beyond normal security concerns.
He stated that the humanitarian impact of the violence has drawn significant global attention, with the U.S. no longer treating the matter as a political dispute but as a “structural crisis with far-reaching implications.”
Showunmi noted that the United States is willing to support Nigeria but expects the government to demonstrate sincerity and seriousness in addressing the crisis.
“They are not interested in political spin, denial, or internal blame-shifting,” he said, adding that Washington wants to see decisive action taken domestically.
He expressed concern that the Nigerian presidency may be underestimating the gravity of the situation, warning that current approaches are insufficient and could further widen the credibility gap between government messaging and the lived reality of citizens.
Showunmi stressed that the international community is increasingly aware of inconsistencies in Nigeria’s communication, noting that the real danger is “Nigeria losing control of its own narrative.”
The briefing also highlighted internal factors undermining national credibility, including fragmented messaging, avoidance of responsibility, rising ethnic rhetoric, and inconsistent communication. These issues, Showunmi warned, are eroding public trust and weakening Nigeria’s standing before the international community.
Showunmi urged the government to urgently recalibrate its communication strategy by adopting unified national messaging, acknowledging the crisis transparently, articulating a clear strategy, and reducing internal political noise. This, he said, is crucial to prevent misinformation from shaping foreign perceptions of Nigeria.
“If we lose control of the narrative and the reality on the ground continues to deteriorate, external actors will define the Nigerian situation for us,” he cautioned.
While expressing confidence in divine protection over the nation, Showunmi emphasized that faith must be matched with responsibility.
“This moment is more consequential than many realize,” he warned.
He called for clarity, unity, and decisive action in confronting Nigeria’s security and humanitarian challenges.
Many Nigerians who wake up unable to move, speak or call for help often describe the experience as a spiritual attack, saying “something pressed me” or “a witch held me down.”
However, health experts say the frightening phenomenon, known as sleep paralysis, has a medical explanation rooted in the brain’s sleep cycle and is often linked to stress, sleep deprivation and irregular sleeping patterns.
Speaking with PT Health Watch, Joshua Nnatus, a senior manager at Lagos MiND and a public health professional, explained that while the experience can feel terrifyingly real, it is a recognised sleep condition with a well-understood neurological basis.
When the brain wakes before the body
Mr Nnatus described sleep paralysis as a temporary inability to move or speak that occurs either while falling asleep or, more commonly, while waking up.
“It is classified as a parasomnia, one of the sleep-related experiences recognised in the American Psychiatric Association’s DSM-5 and the International Classification of Sleep Disorders,” he said.
He explained that the condition is closely tied to rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, the stage of sleep associated with vivid dreaming, which typically accounts for about 20 to 25 per cent of an adult’s sleep cycle.
During REM sleep, the brain activates a protective mechanism called REM atonia, which temporarily switches off voluntary muscles to prevent people from physically acting out their dreams.
Normally, this muscle “off-switch” ends immediately upon waking. However, in sleep paralysis, the transition between sleep and wakefulness becomes misaligned.
“The mind becomes awake and aware before the muscle switch has been turned back on,” Mr Nnatus said.
As a result, the person is conscious, aware of their environment, but unable to move or speak. Breathing and eye movements remain unaffected, which is why people can still look around and breathe normally despite feeling completely “frozen”.
Episodes typically last from a few seconds to a couple of minutes and resolve on their own.
A common but misunderstood experience
Although many people are reluctant to discuss it, sleep paralysis is relatively common.
Research suggests that a significant proportion of people experience at least one episode during their lifetime, particularly adolescents, university students and young adults who are exposed to high levels of stress, sleep deprivation or irregular sleeping schedules.
Because the experience is often sudden and frightening, it is frequently misunderstood and interpreted through cultural or spiritual beliefs.
Why it feels like a spiritual attack
Mr Nnatus said the experience is often interpreted as supernatural because several frightening sensations occur at the same time.
The first is the sudden loss of control, which triggers intense fear. Second is the persistence of dream-like activity in the brain, which produces vivid hallucinations.
These may include sensing a presence in the room, seeing a figure, feeling pressure on the chest, or believing something is sitting on or holding the body down.
He added that the brain’s fear-processing centres remain highly active during REM sleep, which amplifies panic and makes the experience feel extremely real.
“The result feels absolutely real because, in a neurological sense, it is real to the person experiencing it. It is not imagination, and it is not a sign of madness,” he said.
Across cultures, similar experiences have been explained through spiritual beliefs.
In parts of Europe, it has been described as the “Old Hag” phenomenon. In some Middle Eastern traditions, it is linked to Jinn. In parts of China, it is associated with ghost oppression.
In south-west Nigeria, it is widely referred to as ogun oru, interpreted by many as nocturnal spiritual attack, while others describe it as a witch “pressing” the body during sleep.
Mr Nnatus said these interpretations reflect cultural frameworks, but the underlying process remains the same across populations.
Stress, disrupted sleep and lifestyle factors
According to Mr Nnatus, the strongest trigger for sleep paralysis is disrupted sleep.
Common risk factors include sleep deprivation, irregular sleep schedules, late-night studying, shift work, and constantly changing sleep routines.
He noted that stress and anxiety, particularly among students and young professionals, significantly increase vulnerability.
Other triggers include sleeping on the back, caffeine or alcohol close to bedtime, jet lag, and prolonged screen use at night, which delays sleep onset.
Mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder may also increase the likelihood of episodes.
In some cases, sleep paralysis occurs alongside narcolepsy, a neurological sleep disorder characterised by excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden sleep attacks.
He added that research suggests a possible genetic component in some individuals.
When it becomes a concern
Mr Nnatus stressed that sleep paralysis is not physically dangerous.
He, however, said repeated episodes can lead to significant distress, including fear of sleeping, anxiety and poor-quality rest.
He advised medical attention if episodes become frequent or are accompanied by excessive daytime sleepiness, or sudden uncontrollable sleep episodes during the day, symptoms that may suggest narcolepsy.
“That pattern is a core warning sign and should be properly evaluated,” he said.
Managing and reducing episodes
Mr Nnatus recommended maintaining consistent sleep and wake times, ensuring adequate sleep duration, and reducing stress levels.
Limiting caffeine and alcohol intake in the evening, reducing screen exposure before bedtime, and improving sleep environment can also help.
According to sleep health guidance from the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adults require at least seven hours of sleep per night for optimal health.
He also noted that sleeping on one’s side may reduce the likelihood of episodes in people who are prone to them.
For people experiencing frequent or distressing episodes, Mr Nnatus said support and referral services are available through Lagos MiND’s Lagos Lifeline on 070 0000 6463, 020 1410 6463, or via WhatsApp on 090 9000 6463.
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