Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has criticised the Federal Government over continued insecurity following a string of deadly attacks across several states that left dozens dead in the opening days of the new year.
Obi made the remarks in a statement issued on his X account, reacting to reports of attacks in Niger, Plateau, Kano, and Katsina states.
His comments come amid renewed national concern over recurring banditry and terrorist attacks, which have persisted despite repeated assurances from authorities on improved security.
What he said
Obi described the ongoing killings as deeply worrisome and unacceptable, saying Nigeria is trapped in a cycle of violence that has become dangerously normalised.
Obi raised concerns about the attack at Kasuwan-Daji Market in the Domo community of Borgu Local Government Area in Niger State, where more than 40 people were reportedly killed in what he described as a brutal terrorist assault.
He also referenced other incidents that occurred within days of each other, including an attack on Bong village in the Doemak District of Plateau State, where armed bandits killed several residents. Communities in Shanono Local Government Area of Kano State were attacked days earlier, while the Unguwar Naino community in Katsina State came under attack on New Year’s Day, resulting in deaths and injuries.
He added that the government’s inability to guarantee basic security for citizens reflects a deeper failure of leadership.
“The repeated failure to provide basic security for citizens is a national shame, and the toll it takes on families and communities is immeasurable,” he stated.
Obi stressed that the protection of lives must remain the foremost responsibility of the government and called for an urgent, coordinated, and decisive response to insecurity, saying what is needed is an “all-hands-on-deck” approach to end the violence that has become a daily reality in many parts of the country.
More details
Amnesty International Nigeria has also condemned the latest wave of attacks, describing them as further evidence of the authorities’ failure to protect lives, particularly in rural communities.
In a statement, the human rights organisation said the incident forms part of a wider escalation of attacks on rural communities in southern Kaduna.
According to the group, Nigerian authorities have largely abandoned rural communities, leaving them exposed to armed groups that have killed thousands of people across northern Nigeria since 2020.
Amnesty International also questioned repeated assurances by President Bola Tinubu that security agencies have been tasked with ending the killings, stating that the continued attacks show little has changed on the ground. The group stressed that the government has a legal obligation to protect its population, warning that the rising death toll in northern Nigeria highlights the scale of that failure.
What you should know
Following the deadly attack on Kasuwan Daji community in Niger State, President Bola Tinubu ordered security agencies to track down and apprehend the terrorists responsible and ensure the immediate rescue of all abducted victims.
The directive instructed the Defence Minister, Chief of Defence Staff, Service Chiefs, Inspector-General of Police, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services to take swift action.
The attackers are suspected to be fleeing from Sokoto and Zamfara states after a United States air strike on Christmas Eve. President Tinubu assured residents that security operations would be intensified, particularly around communities near forests used as criminal hideouts, and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to safeguarding lives, property, and the country’s territorial integrity.
