Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, have called for end to the unprovoked killings across the country.
In their separate posts on X on Sunday, the Nigerian politicians urged the leaders and citizens to rise up in defence of the country, saying that no nation could prosper while its citizens live under siege.
Expressing sadness over the killings, especially the tragic killing of scores of people, including gallant soldiers, in the recent Boko Haram attack on Darajamal, Borno State, Atiku said “As a nation, we must rise to confront this menace with unity and renewed resolve.
“The sacrifices of our soldiers and civilians must inspire stronger community security, deeper collaboration, and unwavering commitment to peace.”
While expressing his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, the resilient people of Borno, and Governor Zulum, Atiku prayed for the souls of the departed.
Corroborating the former VP, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Obi, said the killing of the over 100 people in Borno at the weekend calls for declaration of war on insecurity in Nigeria.
“The killing of eight NSCDC officers, the abduction of a Chinese national in Edo, the kidnapping of passengers on the Benin–Iyere–Oluku road, and the slaughter of five soldiers and 58 civilians in Borno are not isolated tragedies. They are stark evidence that Nigeria is in the grip of a full-blown security emergency.
“When over 100 Nigerians are killed in a single weekend, our casualty figures rival those of countries officially at war. This is no longer business as usual. It is time to declare a national war on insecurity — to mobilise every resource, every agency, every state, and to suspend all distractions while we begin the process of reclaiming our nation from lawlessness.
“Even foreign trips by government officials should be put on hold until the situation is brought under control. True leadership must be seen at home, personally coordinating the war against insecurity. Junketing around the world under the pretence of wooing investors, while the country bleeds, is to live in denial. Investors will not come into a war zone.
“No nation can prosper while its citizens live under siege. History shows that insecurity is the quickest path to national collapse — Somalia and Libya stand as painful warnings.
“We must act now, with urgency and courage, to prevent a total descent into anarchy and rebuild Nigeria into a safe, secure, and productive nation for all.
“My deepest condolences go to the families of our fallen heroes. Their courage reminds us that we still have men and women who are willing to risk everything for our safety. Their killers must be swiftly apprehended and brought to justice. Their sacrifices must never be forgotten,” he said.
