By Deborah Nnamdi
Former presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has called for an immediate and independent investigation into allegations that government officials supplied arms and logistical support to suspected terrorists.
Obi made the call in a statement posted on X following the circulation of a video from Kwara State showing detainees allegedly claiming that ammunition and other assistance were provided to them by government officials.
Describing the claims as disturbing, the former Anambra State governor said the allegations raised serious questions about accountability within Nigeria’s security architecture and must be subjected to a transparent probe to establish the facts and restore public confidence.
The video, which surfaced earlier this week and has since gone viral, reportedly shows individuals arrested by security operatives making the claims. Nigerian authorities have yet to publicly confirm or deny the allegations.
Obi lamented that despite successive governments collecting trillions of naira and billions of dollars for security over the years, insecurity had continued to worsen across the country.
“Over the years, trillions of naira and billions of dollars have been continuously collected by the government in the name of security. Yet insecurity has only expanded across the country, and in an increasingly brazen manner,” he said.
He pointed to the persistence of kidnapping, banditry and terrorism, despite Nigeria’s control over intelligence, telecommunications and financial monitoring systems.
Obi recalled a statement attributed to former military ruler, General Sani Abacha, that prolonged insurgency implied government involvement, and cited remarks by former President Olusegun Obasanjo questioning why Nigeria negotiates with terrorists despite having the technology to track and neutralise them.
“This type of news fallout goes to give credence to the much-referenced quotation of late military leader General Sani Abacha that ‘Any insurgency that lasts more than 24 hours, the government is involved,’” Obi said.
He also 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, but questioned the current state and utilisation of those systems.
Referencing recent school abductions, Obi said while the release of some victims had been celebrated, there were no reports of arrests or clear updates on others still in captivity, raising concerns about the effectiveness of security operations.
“When insecurity persists on this scale, day after day, it points either to complicity or to a failure of leadership,” he said, adding that the primary responsibility of any government was the protection of lives and property.
Nigeria continues to face prolonged security challenges, including insurgency in the North-East, banditry in the North-West and North-Central regions, and widespread kidnapping for ransom. Authorities have repeatedly maintained that efforts are ongoing to tackle the threats through military operations, intelligence gathering and inter-agency collaboration.
Obi stressed that the country requires leadership anchored on competence, transparency and accountability, insisting that insecurity should not be managed but decisively addressed.
