Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate for the Labour Party has condemned the killing of five people in Ezinachi community in Imo State on Saturday by some gunmen.
The former governor also cited the killing of over 50 worshippers in a mosque, the abduction of some residents in Katsina and the murder of farmers in Plateau State.
Describing these criminal acts across the country as worrisome, Obi said incidents like kidnappings, banditry and killings cannot continue to take the centre stage in the country.
He said, “The recent attack in Okigwe, Imo State, that claimed the lives of many, with so many others still missing and feared dead, reflects once again, the alarming insecurity reality in our dear country.
“Over the weekend, I read in the dailies that Amnesty International warned that the Nigerian government is emboldening bandits through its “stunning failure” to protect citizens. They described the week as a bloody one, recording several deaths across various parts of the country, including the massacre of over 50 worshippers in a mosque in Katsina, the abduction of over 60 people in the same Katsina State, and the killing of over 15 farmers in Mangu, Plateau State, which displaced more than 200 families in just days. All of these in a single week in the country.
“Amnesty International further revealed that in just two years of this administration, over 10,000 Nigerians have been killed by armed groups in various states across Nigeria. Instead of improving security, insecurity has worsened under this administration and in just 2 years, with new armed gangs emerging,” Obi stated.
He noted that these killings have continued despite the known fact that Nigeria is not even at war.
“Nigeria, which is not even officially at war, has recorded over 10,000 civilian deaths in just two years, a number similar to civilian deaths in Ukraine, which is officially at war.
“This means that, in just two years, Nigeria’s insecurity crisis has taken almost as many civilian lives as a country under open warfare,” Obi said.
He further called on relevant agencies and the Federal Government to live up to their duties of protecting the lives and property of citizens across the nation.
“This should concern all of us who claim to be politicians and leaders. We must put Nigerian citizens first, stop the politicking, name-calling, and gossip, and focus on addressing these real issues.
The time to act is now,” the former governor said.