Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has described the recent wave of killings across B...
Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has described the recent wave of killings across Borno, Edo, Katsina, and Sokoto states, saying Nigeria is now in the grip of a full-blown security emergency.
In a post shared via his official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Sunday, Obi expressed deep concern over the attacks, which claimed over 100 lives within a single weekend. He said such casualty figures are comparable to those recorded in countries officially at war and warned that the continued bloodshed cannot be treated as normal.
Obi was reacting to multiple violent incidents, including the killing of dozens of civilians and soldiers by Boko Haram in Darul Jamal, Bama Local Government Area of Borno State. In Katsina, six people were reportedly killed and more than 130 others kidnapped in separate attacks on Sabuwa communities. In Edo State, gunmen suspected to be kidnappers killed eight officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and abducted a Chinese expatriate in Okpella, Etsako East Local Government Area.
Describing the events as “not isolated tragedies” but part of a national crisis, Obi said they serve as stark evidence that Nigeria is under siege. He extended his condolences to the families of the victims, especially the fallen security personnel, commending their sacrifice and dedication. He stressed that their killers must be swiftly brought to justice and that their sacrifices should not be forgotten.
The former Anambra governor called on the federal government to declare a national war on insecurity, urging the mobilisation of all national resources, security agencies, and state governments to reclaim the country from the grip of terrorists, bandits, and criminal gangs. According to him, “when over 100 Nigerians are killed in a single weekend, our casualty figures rival those of countries officially at war. This is no longer business as usual.”
Obi also urged government officials to suspend all non-essential foreign trips and focus on security, stating that true leadership must be seen at home. He warned that junketing around the world to woo investors while the country is under siege is a form of denial, adding that no investor would willingly venture into a war zone.
He noted that no nation can achieve prosperity while its citizens live in fear, warning that insecurity remains the fastest path to national collapse, citing Somalia and Libya as cautionary examples. Obi concluded by stressing the need for urgency, courage, and a united front to prevent Nigeria from descending into complete anarchy and to begin rebuilding it into a safe, secure, and productive nation. He ended with his signature call for hope, saying: “A new Nigeria is POssible.”
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