Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has called on President Bola Tinubu to acknowledge the dire state of insecurity in Nigeria and take urgent action. Reacting to the recent massacre of over 100 people in Zamfara State during a deadly clash between bandits and the Civilian Protection Guard, Obi declared that Nigeria is effectively “at war.”
In a statement released on Wednesday, Obi expressed dismay over what he described as the government’s continued denial of the scale of violence ravaging the country. He urged the President to put an end to ceremonial appearances and infrastructure launches and focus instead on safeguarding the lives of Nigerians.
“With the brutal killings in Zamfara, including the loss of our gallant military personnel, Mr. President, we can no longer pretend. Nigeria is at war,” Obi said.
He further argued that the frequency of violent deaths in Nigeria now surpasses that of some countries officially at war, emphasizing that the situation requires more than ribbon-cutting and media coverage of government projects.
“The real metric for leadership is not in the number of roads or bridges built, but in how many lives are protected, how many citizens sleep safely at night, and how many communities are free from fear,” he added.
Obi also pointed out that the continuous loss of lives calls for a complete shift in governance priorities from grand ceremonies to real, life-saving interventions.
“This is far beyond politics,” he noted. “The soul of our nation is bleeding, and only courageous, responsive leadership can rescue it.”
As insecurity continues to grip many parts of the country, including the North-West, North-East, and Middle Belt regions, Obi’s comments come as a sharp reminder of growing public concern over the government’s ability to tackle violence and restore peace.