Peter Obi, the Labour Party candidate in the 2023 presidential election, has described President Bola Tinubu’s administration as “ineffective,” in its fight against terrorism.
Obi in a statement on X on Wednesday, lamented over the worrisome prevalence of the activities of bandits, kidnappers and terrorists in the country, saying the Tinubu-led administration has left Nigeria at the “mercy of terrorists and bandits.”
Obi made the statement while condemning the gruesome murder of the Emir of Gobir, Alhaji Muhammad Isa Bawa, by his abductors.
Chronicle NG reports that Alhaji Muhammad Bawa, the abducted district chief of Gatawa in Sokoto State’s Sabon Birni Local Government Area, was killed in captivity by bandits.
The monarch was kidnapped together with his son and six others on the Sokoto-Sabon Birni Road some 25 days ago and has since been held hostage by his captors.
Describing the murder as “atrocious,” the former governor of Anambra state mentioned that it has revealed a decline in Nigeria which he described as “a failing state.”
Obi’s statement partly reads, “This most recent atrocity marks the tipping point in the decline of a failing state. The fact that, according to widely circulated reports, the terrorists returned to the emir’s domain, abducted 150 innocent people, and stole 1,000 cattle after his brutal murder serves as a grim indication of the continued collapse of our national security infrastructure.
“We are now at the mercy of terrorists and bandits, with a nearly ineffective government to protect us. This is not just a tragedy, but a national emergency,” Obi said.
The former governor of Anambra State urged the government to take decisive action against terrorists in the country.
“We demand decisive action, not empty rhetoric, to confront this crisis. This is why I strongly advocate for a declaration of war on insecurity, the food crisis, and poverty—a stance that some have twisted, distorted, and used for their agendas.
“It’s time for us to take collective responsibility. We cannot stand by as our nation deteriorates to this unacceptable level. We must revive our commitment to the safety and security of all Nigerians. Enough must now be enough,” Obi added.
