*Says criminals, not agitators, have taken over in the South-East
The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the February 25, 2023 election, Mr. Peter Obi, has expressed discontent and sorrow over the endless bloodletting of innocent Nigerians and urges the federal government rev up their security architecture and show more concern for human life.
Obi in a tweet on Thursday said that rising insecurity in the country, leading to mindless bloodlettings, particularly in the North-Central and the South-East zones are becoming very worrisome.
Violent attacks in the North-Central states of Benue and Plateau lately, took a new twist with high records of kidnapping, arson, and loss of human lives.
According to Obi, the 1st Quarter Mass Atrocities Casualty Tracking Report shows that over 1,230 Nigerians were killed, 79 of them security operatives, with over 600 abductions in the first quarter of this year alone.
“With what has been happening in the North-Central and Zamfara state lately, the figure as of today will be mind-boggling, even far more than the deaths recorded in Russia/Ukraine on-going carnage”, he said.
The Labour Party standard bearer described the situation as “unacceptable that hundreds of innocent lives will continue to be wasted in Nigeria needlessly through communal clashes, bandit and kidnapping activities.
“The situation in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau states has raised a lot of anxiety because of the number of lives and properties lost with very little resistance from security operatives”.
Also speaking on the challenge of sit-at-home in the South-East, the former Anambra State Governor described as “disturbing, the continued disruption of business and social activities in the South-East region over the sit-at-home directive purported to be coming from the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) when the body has publicly denied issuing such directive.
“What is going on in the South-East, therefore, is essentially a criminal activity that must be nipped in the bud by all hands being on the deck, security agencies, and the people,” he stated.
He however commended the South-East Governors for their renewed efforts at curbing this menace, but noted that there is a need to be more strategic and intelligence-driven in the approach to reduce the suffering of innocent people.
“Security agencies should take necessary and quick steps to arrest the ugly incidents because the country cannot just be spilling the blood of innocent citizens.
“We as a people through our various governments should rev up our value for human lives in the way and manner we respond to issues that touch lives.
“The implications of an unsecured environment to development are far-reaching because no investor will consider going to an area his resources will not be safe and secured.
“I, therefore like to urge critical stakeholders in these areas, traditional, Christian, and Muslim leaders to continue pushing for peace among their peoples in the way and manner they conduct themselves.
“The various governments at all levels should also take deliberate steps to address the issue of poverty and youth unemployment because the provision of stomach infrastructure is the surer way to tackle insecurity,” he said..
Obi who is always concerned about the suffering poor in society added that urgent steps should be taken consciously and intentionally to ameliorate the hardship of the people.
