Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, 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 call in a statement posted on his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle on Sunday, reacting to a video that emerged from Kwara State in which suspected terrorists, arrested by security operatives, alleged that they received ammunition and logistics from government officials.
He expressed concern that despite the huge sums allocated to security over the years, insecurity has continued to spread across the country in what he described as an increasingly brazen manner.
According to Obi, trillions of naira and billions of dollars have been collected by successive governments in the name of security, yet kidnapping, banditry and terrorism continue to thrive. He said the latest allegations reinforce long-standing concerns about the handling of insecurity in the country.
He referenced a statement attributed to the late military ruler, General Sani Abacha, that any insurgency lasting more than 24 hours suggests government involvement. Obi also cited former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who once argued that Nigeria previously had the capacity to identify and locate criminals anywhere in the country, and questioned why, despite modern technology such as drones and advanced tracking tools, terrorists are not being decisively confronted.
“The government controls telecommunications, intelligence systems and financial trails, yet insecurity persists,” Obi said, adding that this reality raises serious questions about those in power.
He further recalled that between 2010 and 2015, under former President Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria developed one of its most advanced police communication and tracking infrastructures, designed to monitor criminal movements and support rapid response operations. Obi questioned why such equipment is no longer visible or effectively deployed.
Obi also raised concerns about recent mass abductions, citing the attack on St. Mary’s Catholic School, where about 100 children were released days ago. He noted that while government officials celebrated the release, no arrests were announced, no punishments disclosed, and no clear updates provided on more than 200 children and teachers still reportedly in captivity.
He questioned why existing security equipment has not been used to track terrorists and rescue the remaining abductees.
“When insecurity persists on this scale, day after day, it points either to complicity or a failure of leadership,” Obi said, adding that no society should accept either.
He stressed that the primary responsibility of any government is the protection of lives and property, insisting that a government that prioritises human life must decisively eliminate insecurity rather than tolerate it. Obi concluded by calling for leadership marked by competence, transparency and capacity to bring an end to Nigeria’s security challenges.
