Mrs. Obiageli Ezekwesili, a former Minister of Education, has criticised the Nigerian military and government for the country’s continuous insecurity.
In a message posted on her X account on Saturday, Ezekwesili offered sympathy to the families of soldiers murdered in Abia and demanded an explanation from the military and the President Bola Tinubu-led administration for their failure to address the ongoing violence.
Ezekwesili questioned the failure of security personnel to arrest, investigate, convict, and punish offenders, calling on the president to show leadership and protect the country’s security.
She wrote, “The #DefenceInfoNG #HQNigerianArmy: As a citizen who highly values the role of our military in this country, I condole with you and the families of the soldiers killed in Abia. May God grant their families divine comfort.
“To avoid this recurring pattern of loss of life for our civilian and military citizens alike, can you address the Nigerian public on the degenerate state of insecurity all over the country?
“Since nobody else but the person who occupies the seat of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces #officialABAT is de facto vested with the constitutional powers, duty, and accountability to ensure the security of our country and people, can you help us, the Nigerian people, understand why the failures of rampant insecurity persist in the country?
“What exactly is the problem? We are governed by the Constitution, laws, rules, and regulations, with the rule of law as our bedrock.”
She stated that there is no provision in the nation’s laws for criminals to be appealed to by their fellow people; instead, they have to be apprehended, investigated, prosecuted, convicted, and punished.
Ezekwesili questioned whether the authorities were aware that the lack of sufficient deterrence had become an incentive for criminal gangs to assassinate individuals, including members of the security services.
She questioned why the President is failing to effectively lead the military establishments in punishing crimes and protecting citizens and soldiers around the country.
She emphasised that the Nigerian public needed to know the causes of these errors, as public accountability is critical.
