Former federal lawmaker, Shehu Sani, has painted a grim picture of the human cost of armed conflict, outlining 21 harsh realities that civilians face when war breaks out.
In a strongly worded reflection, Sani stressed that war spares no one, regardless of political allegiance or personal convictions, emphasizing that peace remains invaluable.
According to him, one of the first casualties of war is normal life. Families lose sleep amid the sounds of bomb blasts, gunfire, and military jets overhead. Businesses shut down, markets close, and children are forced out of school as insecurity takes over communities.
He noted that food shortages quickly become widespread, with many families surviving on rations. Basic necessities such as bread and clean water become as precious as gold.
Sani further highlighted the breakdown of law and order during prolonged conflicts. Police stations and courts may cease to function, prisons can be hit leading to mass escapes, and armed gangs or militias may seize control of neighborhoods, leaving residents at their mercy.
Women and girls, he warned, face heightened risks of sexual violence, while freedom of expression often disappears under warlords who rule through fear and brutality.
He added that displacement becomes inevitable for many, forcing families to abandon their homes and seek refuge in neighboring countries or overcrowded camps, where they queue for food and basic amenities.
In such dire conditions, Sani said, humanitarian organizations such as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), World Food Programme (WFP), UNICEF, International Committee of the Red Cross, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Oxfam, Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), and Amnesty International often become lifelines for survival.
“Sharing one loaf of bread and a bottle of water with your family in a refugee camp is just one repercussion of war,” he stated, underscoring the desperation that accompanies displacement.
Sani concluded that after lives are lost and communities destroyed, conflicts often still return to dialogue as the only pathway to peace.
His message was clear and emphatic: peace is priceless.
