Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has raised fresh concerns over Nigeria’s deepening security crisis, describing the spate of killings, abductions, and banditry across the country as alarming and unacceptable.
In a statement on Monday, Obi lamented that despite Nigeria not being officially at war, the number of civilian deaths recorded under the present administration rivals that of countries experiencing open warfare.
He cited the recent attack in Okigwe, Imo State, where many lives were lost and several others remain missing, as yet another tragic reminder of the government’s inability to safeguard its citizens.
Obi referenced a report by Amnesty International, which described the past week as “bloody,” documenting the killing of over 50 worshippers in a Katsina mosque, the abduction of more than 60 persons in the same state, and the murder of at least 15 farmers in Mangu, Plateau State, which displaced over 200 families.
Amnesty International further disclosed that more than 10,000 Nigerians have been killed by armed groups in just two years of the current administration.
According to the organisation, instead of improving, insecurity has worsened, with new armed gangs emerging across the country.
Drawing comparisons with Ukraine, Obi stressed that Nigeria’s civilian death toll in the last two years nearly equals the civilian casualties of a nation in active war.
“The first duty of any government is to secure the lives and property of its people,” Obi said, urging political leaders to stop the “politicking, name-calling, and gossip” and focus instead on addressing insecurity.
Read Obi’s post in full below:
“We can’t stop bemoaning the unending killing in the country. Despite not being at war, the killing, abduction and banditry incidents in our country continue to be daily and increasing at a worrisome rate.
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The recent attack in Okigwe, Imo State, that claimed the lives of many, with so many others still missing and feared dead, reflects once again, the alarming insecurity reality in our dear country.
Over the weekend, I read in the dailies that Amnesty International warned that the Nigerian government is emboldening bandits through its “stunning failure” to protect citizens. They described the week as a bloody one, recording several deaths across various parts of the country, including the massacre of over 50 worshippers in a mosque in Katsina, the abduction of over 60 people in the same Katsina State, and the killing of over 15 farmers in Mangu, Plateau State, which displaced more than 200 families in just days. All of these in a single week in the country.
Amnesty International further revealed that in just two years of this administration, over 10,000 Nigerians have been killed by armed groups in various states across Nigeria. Instead of improving security, insecurity has worsened under this administration and in just 2 years, with new armed gangs emerging
Nigeria, which is not even officially at war, has recorded over 10,000 civilian deaths in just two years, a number similar to civilian deaths in Ukraine, which is officially at war.
This means that, in just two years, Nigeria’s insecurity crisis has taken almost as many civilian lives as a country under open warfare.
We must now wake up as a nation. The first duty of any government is to secure the lives and property of its people. This should concern all of us who claim to be politicians and leaders. We must put Nigerian citizens first, stop the politicking, name-calling, and gossip, and focus on addressing these real issues.
The time to act is now.
A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO.”