Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) has said eradicating poverty is the only way to reduce criminality in Nigeria.
He said this on Sunday at the Arise TV Presidential Town Hall Series on security and the economy, held in Abuja.
He urged the government to improve the way intelligence is processed and give immediate responses to security issues.
The real issue: According to him, the current government did not do enough to prevent the Kaduna train attack even when there were intelligence reports. He said:
- “There was a failure of processing and giving due attention to intelligence, which I would have given due intelligence and promptly dealt with. Government action and communication were weak. And I think that shows the overall need for us to improve our intelligence processing and give an immediate response whenever such a situation arises.
- “I have said consistently, that the more people you put out of poverty, the more you reduce the criminality in the country.’’
Speaking on the lapses of the train attack, He noted that security agencies ignored warning signs and information of a possible attack as high as that.
Also, speaking on what he would have done otherwise, he said as the commander-in-chief he would have acted swiftly.
- Obi said, “I believe there was a failure of intelligence processing. Because before it happened, from information available, there were already reports of insecurity on the corridor, as well as previous attempts that were ignored.”
- “As president and commander in chief, the decision and the buck stops on my desk. I will be responsible to all Nigerians. I will be in charge,” Mr. Obi said.
For the record: Present at the presidential debate were Mr. Obi, Musa Kwankwaso of the New Nigerian Peoples Party, and Kola Abiola of the Peoples Redemption Party.
Atiku Abubakar was absent but was represented by Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, his running mate.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was absent and had no representative.
