Former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, has raised the alarm over a fresh wave of deadly attacks in Nigeria’s North-Central region, revealing that more than 63 people have been killed in Plateau and Niger States alone in recent days, with the toll feared to be far higher.
In a statement posted on his X handle on Sunday, Obi lamented the escalating violence, asking, “What is happening to our country?”
He said at least 23 people were officially confirmed killed in the Jwak Maitumbi attack in Mangu, Plateau State, although residents claim the actual number exceeds 30. More than 45 houses were also reportedly destroyed in the assault.
In Borgu, Niger State, Obi said recent attacks had killed over 40 people and led to the abduction of more than 100 others, though he noted the figures remain contested.
He linked the two incidents to the ongoing crisis in Benue State, where communities continue to face repeated killings, abductions and the destruction of homes and livelihoods.
“Nigeria is not officially at war, yet citizens are being attacked in their villages, abducted after prayers, driven from their homes and stripped of their farms,” Obi said.
He warned that the pattern of violence witnessed in Benue, Plateau and Niger mirrors what is happening in other parts of the country, stressing that many attacks go unreported.
According to him, the situation “must no longer be treated as isolated incidents,” describing it instead as “a national security emergency requiring urgent and coordinated action.”
Obi called on governments at all levels to “wake up to their responsibility and take urgent and decisive action to end this madness once and for all.”
He urged authorities to protect vulnerable communities, strengthen intelligence gathering and rapid-response capabilities, rescue abducted Nigerians, and ensure that those responsible for the attacks are arrested and prosecuted.
“We cannot keep counting bodies after every attack. We must prevent these attacks before they happen,” he said.
Obi insisted that safeguarding lives and property remains the most fundamental responsibility of government, adding, “Nigerians deserve nothing less.”
