Following several explosions in Maiduguri, Borno State, Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential contender, expressed concern about the level of insecurity in Nigeria.
According to reports, Peter Obi said in a statement posted on his 𝕏 Twitter that the terrible tragedy is a painful reminder of the government’s inability to protect people and property.
He claims that the lack of a robust national response to such tragedies indicates that rather than being firmly addressed, insecurity is becoming normalizing.
The former governor of Anambra State cited recent attacks in several states, including Kwara State, Nasarawa State, Kogi State, Plateau State, Sokoto State, and Benue State, as well as incidents reported within the Federal Capital Territory, while also offering condolences to families who lost loved ones in the explosions and wishing a speedy recovery to those injured.
“The nation is once again engulfed in grief and outrage following the horrific explosions in Maiduguri, Borno State, yesterday,” the tweet stated. These terrible incidents serve as a sobering reminder of how far we have deviated from the primary responsibility of government, which is to safeguard people and property.
“A troubling reality is highlighted by the fact that multiple coordinated attacks can kill several innocent Nigerians and injure over a hundred others in vulnerable locations like markets and near hospitals.” Instead of taking strong action to address the issue, our country’s silence in the face of such crimes suggests a troubling normalizing of insecurity.
“The pattern of insecurity is quite worrying given the recent attacks in Kwara, Nasarawa, Kogi, Plateau, Sokoto, Benue, and even within the Federal Capital Territory. There are alarming claims of communities in some areas, like Katsina, being forced to pay armed groups a “Peace Tax” in order to protect themselves from future attacks.
These incidents put our security architecture to the test as well as the fundamentals of leadership. Such a serious national emergency necessitates being present, paying attention, and taking fast action. Prioritizing actions to protect lives must take precedence over any scheduled visits to impacted communities.
“My thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost loved ones during this time of sadness, as well as those who are hurt and trying to heal. May God give the dead eternal rest, console the grieving, and give everyone impacted courage and healing.
We can’t keep going in this direction. Our country must act swiftly, responsibly, and compassionately to defend its inhabitants.
