Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, has raised alarm over the worsening insecurity in Nigeria, urging the federal government to declare a national war on violence.
Reflecting on what he described as a “bloody weekend,” Obi noted that more than 100 Nigerians were killed across Borno, Sokoto, Katsina, and Edo states. Among the victims were eight NSCDC officers, five soldiers, and dozens of civilians. He also cited the abduction of a Chinese national in Edo and the kidnapping of passengers on the Benin–Iyere–Oluku road.
“These are not isolated tragedies. They are stark evidence that Nigeria is in the grip of a full-blown security emergency,” Obi said. He extended condolences to the families of the victims and praised the courage of security personnel who continue to risk their lives for the country.
Obi warned that casualty levels now rival those of nations officially at war, stressing that the crisis demands urgent and decisive intervention. “It is time to declare a national war on insecurity — to mobilise every resource, every agency, every state, and to suspend all distractions while we begin the process of reclaiming our nation from lawlessness,” he stated.
He criticised government officials for prioritising foreign trips over domestic security challenges, remarking: “True leadership must be seen at home, personally coordinating the war against insecurity. Investors will not come into a war zone.”
Drawing parallels with Somalia and Libya, Obi argued that no nation can achieve prosperity when its citizens live under siege. He concluded with a call for immediate action: “We must act now, with urgency and courage, to prevent a total descent into anarchy and rebuild Nigeria into a safe, secure, and productive nation for all.”
