FORMER Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has asked President Bola Tinubu to immediately suspend his ongoing retreat in France and return to confront the escalating wave of insecurity sweeping across the country.
The former Anambra State governor cited multiple examples of recent unrest, including renewed insurgent attacks in Borno State, killings in the North Central, abductions and killings in the Southeast, and repeated pipeline explosions in the Niger Delta.
Obi’s statement, on Wednesday, April 16, came amid widespread outrage over a series of deadly attacks that have rocked communities, particularly in Plateau and Benue States, since Tinubu departed from Nigeria on April 2.
Obi, a leading opposition figure also lamented the deteriorating state of the nation’s security architecture and accused the President of abdicating his responsibility by remaining abroad.
“In the two weeks you have been away, over 150 Nigerians have lost their lives to insecurity across Nigeria, especially in Plateau and Zamfara States. The repeated pipeline explosions in the Niger Delta, further reflect a nation in distress. In the Northeast, Borno State leaders are bemoaning the return of insurgency, with troops and civilians being killed randomly. In the Southeast, the story is the same; killings and abductions.
“Amid all these, the CEO of the troubled company called Nigeria, is retreating to far away land in France from the Company’s headquarters,” the statement reads.
The former governor, who ran against Tinubu in the 2023 general election, stressed that the call was not personal but aimed at compelling leadership that is responsive and accountable.
He noted that the fight for a better Nigeria transcends personal ambition and is instead about leadership that prioritises the well-being of all citizens.
“The primary duty of any government is securing the lives and property of its citizens, and one wonders the type of retreat going on in another country where peace has been secured by their leaders while blood continues to flow in our country.
“The fight for a better Nigeria is not about individuals; it is about ensuring that every citizen can see, feel, and benefit from the policies and decisions of those in power. I, therefore, like to urge the President to quickly suspend whatever he is doing in France and rush home to take responsibility by addressing these disturbing issues,” he added.
It would be noted that a statement issued on Wednesday, April 2, by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, described the President’s latest journey to France as a ‘working trip intended to review the administration’s mid-term performance.
The statement noted that the trip provides the President with an opportunity to reflect on ongoing reforms and assess key national development priorities for the coming year.
“He will also use the retreat to review the progress of ongoing reforms and engage in strategic planning ahead of his administration’s second anniversary,” the statement added.
However, since he departed from Nigeria, many Nigerians have died from a series of attacks in Plateau, Borno, Zamfara, Benue, and some other parts of the country.
The ICIR reported that at least 50 people were reported killed in fresh attacks on villages in Bassa local government area of Plateau State on April 4 and 6, while several others were displaced.
The attack came on the heels of a mass killing in Bokkos LGA on March 28, which claimed over 50 lives, including children burned beyond recognition.
In Benue, there have been series of assaults by suspected armed herders, including Otukpo LGA where a former President of the Senate, David Mark hails. Since April 3, it has reportedly left several dead and thousands fleeing their homes.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M