By Emmanuel Thomas
LAGOS, NIGERIA — The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, Mr. Peter Obi, has decried the worsening state of insecurity across the country, declaring that “Nigeria cannot continue like this.”
Obi’s reaction followed the tragic death of a retired senior military officer, Major General Rabe Abubakar, who reportedly died while being held in the custody of kidnappers, as well as renewed bandit attacks in Sokoto and Kwara States.
Expressing his grief in a strongly-worded statement, the former Anambra State governor described the consecutive tragedies as clear manifestations of a deepening national crisis that threatens the very fabric of the country’s existence.
Reacting to the demise of the retired military top brass, Obi expressed deep shock and sadness, describing the incident as an embarrassing indictment of Nigeria’s current security architecture.
”I received with deep shock and sadness the tragic death of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, who reportedly died while in the custody of kidnappers,” Obi said. “But particularly painful is the reported death of Major General Rabe Abubakar, a distinguished military officer who dedicated a significant part of his life to defending Nigeria and protecting its citizens.”
He lamented that a man who climbed the ranks of the Nigerian Armed Forces and retired after years of meritorious service to his fatherland could meet such a heartbreaking end at the hands of lawless criminal elements. According to Obi, the General’s death is not just an isolated incident but a national tragedy.
Prior to receiving the news of the General’s death, Obi noted that he had received disturbing reports of coordinated banditry and terrorism in the northern and North-Central parts of the country.
In Sokoto State, armed bandits reportedly blocked a major market route, cut off economic lifelines, and abducted an unspecified number of traders. Simultaneously, terrorists invaded local communities in Kwara State, killing innocent residents and kidnapping scores of citizens.
Obi emphasized that these recurring attacks show that insecurity is spreading in both intensity and geographical scope, rendering daily survival an extreme sport for ordinary Nigerians.
”When traders can no longer travel safely to markets, farmers cannot access their farms, and communities live under constant fear, the government has to accept that the current strategy is failing,” Obi stated. He reiterated that the foremost responsibility of any government is the security of lives and property, adding that every life lost or citizen abducted represents a painful failure of collective duty.
The Labour Party chieftain called on the Federal Government and Nigeria’s security agencies to abandon reactionary measures and instead adopt modern warfare and policing strategies to combat the existential threat.
To effectively dismantle the networks of terrorists, bandits, and kidnappers, Obi recommended a five-pronged approach:
Proactive Security Architecture: Shifting from reactive operations to preventive measures. Intelligence-Driven Operations: Enhancing local intelligence gathering to neutralize threats before they manifest.
Technology Integration: Deploying advanced technological tools for surveillance and tracking.
Border Security: Strictly securing the nation’s porous borders to block the influx of foreign criminal elements and illegal arms.
Personnel Welfare: Adequately equipping, training, and motivating security personnel on the frontlines.
Linking the security crisis directly to Nigeria’s ailing economy, Obi warned that no nation can achieve economic prosperity when its citizens live in perpetual fear. He noted that the constant disruption of economic activities by criminal gangs makes it impossible to attract foreign direct investments, create sustainable jobs, or guarantee a stable future for the youth.
”We must urgently reclaim every part of our country from terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, and all criminal gangs threatening our collective existence,” he declared.
Concluding his statement, Obi extended his heartfelt condolences to the family of Major General Rabe Abubakar, his former colleagues in the Nigerian Armed Forces, and the affected families and communities in Sokoto, Kwara, and across the federation.
Reaffirming his political vision, Obi insisted that the embarrassing security failures make the quest for a governance overhaul inevitable. “The recurring tragedies we continue to witness make the quest for a New Nigeria not only necessary but inevitable.
We must build a nation where every citizen can live, work, travel, and pursue legitimate economic activities without fear. A New Nigeria is POssible,” he concluded.
