Obi Calls For Declaration Of War On Insecurity Following Bloody Weekend

Peter Obi, former Governor of Anambra State and the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, has issued a stark warning about Nigeria’s deteriorating security situation, declaring that the country is “bleeding” and in dire need of a national “war on insecurity.”

Obi took to his X handle on Monday to express his outrage and concern following a weekend marred by widespread violence across the nation.

Citing news reports detailing a death toll exceeding 100, Obi highlighted the devastating consequences of the escalating security crisis.

“Bloody Weekend: over 100 Killed in Borno, Sokoto, Katsina, Edo,” Obi wrote, referencing the grim headlines. He pointed to specific incidents, including 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 on the Benin-Iyere-Oluku road, and the slaughter of five soldiers and 58 civilians in Borno State.

“These are not isolated tragedies. They are stark evidence that Nigeria is in the grip of a full-blown security emergency,” Obi stated.

He offered his deepest condolences to the families of the victims, particularly the fallen soldiers and NSCDC officers.

“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 argued that the scale of the violence equates to a nation at war. “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.”

He further called for a suspension of foreign trips by government officials, asserting that leadership must be demonstrably present and actively engaged in addressing the crisis within the country.

“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.”

Obi stressed the critical link between security and national prosperity, referencing the historical examples of Somalia and Libya as cautionary tales of national collapse driven by insecurity.

“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,” he warned.

Obi urged immediate and decisive 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,” he wrote, reiterating his campaign slogan: “A new Nigeria is POssible.”

Obi’s statement comes amidst growing public anxiety over the rising levels of insecurity across Nigeria, fueled by banditry, kidnapping, and insurgency.

His call for a national war on insecurity is likely to resonate with many Nigerians demanding a more robust and effective response from the government.