Former Anambra State Governor and presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has criticised the Federal Government’s approach to tackling insecurity, describing it as reactive and lacking a comprehensive strategy.
In a statement released on Friday through his spokesman, Ibrahim Umar, Obi expressed concern over reports that President Bola Tinubu approved the recruitment of about 1,000 forest guards for Oyo State, arguing that the move reflected a piecemeal response to the country’s worsening security challenges.
The former governor said while increasing the number of security personnel was necessary, such measures should be implemented through a structured national framework rather than isolated interventions.
Obi compared the government’s security response to what he described as the abrupt removal of fuel subsidies and the devaluation of the naira, which he said had inflicted significant hardship on Nigerians and negatively affected the economy.
According to him, insecurity has become a nationwide crisis affecting virtually all parts of the country, with states including Oyo, Plateau, Kwara, Kogi, Borno, Katsina, Anambra, Niger, Imo and Sokoto facing serious security threats.
He questioned whether the approval granted to Oyo State would be extended to all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, noting that such a move would amount to the recruitment of about 37,000 forest guards nationwide.
Obi also raised concerns about the implications of the initiative for existing regional security outfits, including the Amotekun Corps, which operates across the South-West and plays a role in local security efforts.
The NDC candidate attributed the country’s persistent insecurity to what he described as failures in leadership, arguing that weak governance had contributed to the deaths of thousands of Nigerians and undermined national stability.
He maintained that addressing insecurity requires a holistic “ecosystem” approach that tackles the root causes of violence while strengthening institutions and governance structures.
Obi further argued that insecurity has hindered national development by discouraging investment and limiting the country’s ability to harness its resources in sectors such as agriculture, mining, tourism, sports, and oil and gas.
He stressed that effective leadership remains critical to restoring security, driving economic growth, and creating jobs for Nigeria’s growing youth population.
Despite the challenges, Obi expressed optimism that Nigeria could overcome its security and economic difficulties through purposeful leadership and coordinated policy implementation.