Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party Nigeria, Peter Obi, on Monday accused Nigeria’s political leadership, including President Bola Tinubu, of prioritising electoral politics over the escalating security crisis across the country.

He lamented that widespread attacks by terrorists and bandits now threaten communities from the North-East to the nation’s capital.

To him, the scale and spread of insecurity had become “unbearable”, citing recent attacks in several states that have left civilians and security personnel dead, abducted or displaced.

For example, he said terrorists recently overran the Ngoshe community in Borno State, killing soldiers and civilians while abducting more than 100 women and children.

He lamented what he described as the silence surrounding the deaths of soldiers on the frontlines, stressing that the country must honour fallen troops with dignity.

“I look forward to the day when our fallen soldiers are given the dignified burials they deserve, with their bodies received and honoured by the nation’s leaders,” he said.

The former Anambra governor also raised alarm over worsening attacks in Nasarawa State, Kogi State and Benue State, where he said terrorists now occupy farms and forests, forcing villagers to abandon their homes.

In the Kadarko area of Nasarawa alone, Obi said more than 14,000 residents had been registered as internally displaced persons.

He further pointed to kidnappings along the Kishi–Igbeti road in Oyo State, as well as shootings and abductions in Ondo State, while describing Kebbi State as experiencing a surge in deadly attacks on both civilians and security operatives.

Obi also warned that insecurity was no longer confined to rural communities, citing a recent attack in the Kubwa area of Abuja, where about 19 residents were reportedly abducted from their homes.

“The wave of terror has now brazenly crept into our nation’s capital. The incident showed that insecurity had become a nationwide threat,” he added.

The former presidential candidate criticised the government’s response, accusing the political class of focusing on electoral manoeuvres rather than addressing the security crisis.

“The primary responsibility of any government is to secure the lives and property of its citizens, yet the response has been silence, as if Nigerian lives no longer matter,” he said.

Obi added that the country needed leadership committed to restoring security and protecting citizens, insisting that Nigerians deserved governance that prioritised their safety and welfare. (The Sun)