Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has described Nigeria’s worsening security situation as more severe than conditions in some countries currently at war, reacting to the killing of scores of residents by suspected terrorists in Kwara State.
Obi said the scale and frequency of violent attacks across the country signalled a grave national failure, stressing that the loss of innocent lives in Kwara was both tragic and unacceptable.
According to him, Nigeria had reached a point where insecurity of lives and property must be treated as an existential threat.
Reacting to reports that about 150 people were killed in coordinated attacks on communities including Woro and Nuku, Obi said the incident reflected a disturbing pattern of unchecked violence spreading across different parts of the country.
He added that such bloodshed underscored the urgency for decisive and coordinated action by the state.
“I am deeply saddened by the recent attacks in Kwara State, where gunmen reportedly killed about 150 people.
“Every loss of innocent life is tragic, and these killings represent a major failure for us as a nation,” Obi said.
Moreover, the former Anambra State governor lamented that Nigeria’s security challenges had deteriorated to a level comparable, or even worse, than nations experiencing open warfare.
He argued that the situation demanded an all-out national response rather than routine condemnation after each attack.
“These recurring acts of violence across our country, now worse than what occurs in some countries at war, underscore the urgent need for us, as a nation, to declare war on insecurity of lives and property,” he said.
Obi further urged security agencies and relevant authorities to act swiftly to restore peace in the affected communities, apprehend those responsible, and rebuild public confidence in the state’s ability to protect citizens.
He also extended condolences to the families of the victims, the affected communities, as well as the government and people of Kwara State, insisting that the safety of Nigerians must remain a top priority.
The statement was made via Obi’s official X page on Thursday, February 5, as concerns continue to mount over rising insecurity across the country.