The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has called for an immediate, transparent and independent investigation following claims by arrested terror suspects that government officials supplied them with arms and ammunition.
Obi made the demand in a statement posted on his verified X handle on Sunday, reacting to a viral video from Kwara State in which the suspects alleged they received ammunition and logistics support from government officials.
He lamented that despite the enormous sums of money allocated to security over the years, insecurity has continued to worsen across the country in a more brazen manner.
According to him, trillions of naira and billions of dollars have been spent in the name of security, yet terrorism, banditry and kidnapping continue to thrive, raising serious questions about governance and accountability.
Obi referenced a widely cited statement by late military ruler, General Sani Abacha, that any insurgency lasting more than 24 hours suggests government involvement. He also recalled comments by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who once said Nigeria had the capacity to identify and track criminals anywhere in the country but appeared unwilling to do so.
“The government controls telecommunications, intelligence systems and financial trails, yet insecurity persists. This reality raises troubling questions,” Obi said.
He further noted that between 2010 and 2015, Nigeria invested heavily in advanced police communication and tracking infrastructure designed to monitor criminal movements and support rapid response.
Obi questioned why such equipment is no longer effectively deployed and why repeated confessions by terror suspects often implicate government officials.
He also expressed concern over recent abduction cases, citing the release of some schoolchildren without any reported arrests or accountability, while many others remain in captivity.
“When insecurity persists on this scale, it points either to complicity or a failure of leadership,” Obi stated, adding that no society should accept either.
He stressed that the primary responsibility of government is the protection of lives and property, urging Nigeria to embrace leadership marked by competence, transparency and capacity to decisively end insecurity.
