Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has condemned the spate of killings across several states, describing the situation as “frightening.”
Obi made the remark on Sunday through a post on his official X handle, following reports of deadly incidents in Borno, Edo, Sokoto and Katsina.
In Borno, suspected Boko Haram insurgents attacked Darul Jamal in Bama Local Government Area, leaving dozens of civilians and soldiers dead. In Katsina, bandits carried out coordinated assaults on communities in Sabuwa Local Government Area, killing six people and abducting over 130 residents within three days.
Similarly, gunmen believed to be kidnappers ambushed security personnel in Edo State on Friday night. Eight officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were killed, while a Chinese expatriate was seized in Okpella, Etsako East Local Government Area.
Reacting to the series of incidents, Obi said the killings provided “stark evidence that Nigeria is in the grip of a full-blown security emergency.” He lamented that the number of deaths recorded in a single week rivalled those from countries officially at war.
He wrote: “Nigeria Bleeds, Needs a Declaration of War on Insecurity Now.
“‘Bloody Weekend: over 100 Killed in Borno, Sokoto, Katsina, Edo.’ This grim headline captures the frightening reality reflected in our weekend papers.
“The killing of eight NSCDC officers, the abduction of a Chinese national in Edo, the kidnapping of passengers on the Benin–Iyere–Oluku road, and the slaughter of five soldiers and 58 civilians in Borno are not isolated tragedies. They are stark evidence that Nigeria is in the grip of a full-blown security emergency.”
Obi extended his sympathy to the families of the victims, stressing that their sacrifices must not be in vain. “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.”
He also urged the authorities to set aside all distractions and concentrate fully on restoring order across the country.
“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. 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.
“Even foreign trips by government officials should be put on hold until the situation is brought under control. True leadership must be seen at home, personally coordinating the war 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.
“No nation can prosper while its citizens live under siege. History shows that insecurity is the quickest path to national collapse — Somalia and Libya stand as painful warnings.
“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.
A new Nigeria is POssible. -PO”