Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, Mr. Peter Obi, has raised alarm over the worsening insecurity across the country, calling for an immediate and coordinated declaration of war on the menace.
In a strongly worded statement titled “Nigeria Bleeds, Needs a Declaration of War on Insecurity Now”, Obi condemned the series of violent attacks that left over 100 people dead across several states over the weekend.
He cited the killing of eight Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) officers, the abduction of a Chinese national in Edo State, the kidnapping of passengers along the Benin–Iyere–Oluku road, as well as the murder of five soldiers and 58 civilians in Borno State, describing them as part of a growing security emergency.
“My deepest condolences go to the families of our fallen heroes. Their courage reminds us that we still have men and women who are willing to risk everything for our safety. Their killers must be swiftly apprehended and brought to justice. Their sacrifices must never be forgotten,” Obi stated.
He warned that casualty figures now rival those of countries officially at war, insisting that it is no longer business as usual. According to him, the Nigerian government must suspend all distractions and mobilise every resource, every agency, and every state in order to reclaim the nation from lawlessness.
Obi also faulted frequent foreign trips by government officials, saying leadership must be seen at home, personally coordinating the fight against insecurity. “Junketing around the world under the pretence of wooing investors, while the country bleeds, is to live in denial. Investors will not come into a war zone,” he said.
The former Anambra governor cautioned that no nation can thrive while its citizens live under siege, adding that history has shown how insecurity can quickly lead to state collapse. “Somalia and Libya stand as painful warnings,” he noted.
Reiterating his belief in Nigeria’s future, Obi urged urgent and courageous action to prevent a total descent into anarchy and rebuild the country into a secure and productive nation.
“A new Nigeria is possible,” he concluded.
