The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has called for an immediate, thorough, transparent, and independent investigation into claims by arrested terrorists that government officials supplied them with arms and ammunition.
Obi made the demand in a statement shared on his verified X handle on Sunday, reacting to a viral video from Kwara State in which suspected terrorists, arrested by security operatives, alleged they received ammunition and logistics support from government officials.
He lamented that despite trillions of naira and billions of dollars reportedly spent on security over the years, insecurity has continued to worsen and spread across the country in a more brazen manner.
According to Obi, the allegation lends weight to a long-held view credited to late military ruler, General Sani Abacha, that any insurgency lasting more than 24 hours suggests government involvement. He also referenced former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who had argued that Nigeria possesses the technology and capacity to track and eliminate criminals but has failed to deploy them effectively.
Obi noted that the government controls telecommunications, intelligence systems, and financial tracking mechanisms, yet kidnapping, banditry, and terrorism continue unchecked, raising serious concerns about leadership and accountability.
He recalled that between 2010 and 2015, Nigeria invested heavily in advanced police communication and tracking infrastructure designed to monitor and disrupt terrorist activities, questioning why such equipment is no longer being used.
The former Anambra State governor also cited recent mass abductions, including attacks on schools, where some victims were released without any reported arrests or prosecutions of perpetrators, while many others reportedly remain in captivity.
“When insecurity persists on this scale, it points either to complicity or a failure of leadership,” Obi said, stressing that the primary responsibility of any government is the protection of lives and property.
He concluded by calling for leadership marked by competence, transparency, and capacity, insisting that Nigeria must end insecurity and place the value of human life above all else.
