Insecurity: Obasanjo Knocks Tinubu Govt, Demands Global Action to Stop Killings

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has declared support for international intervention to halt Nigeria’s worsening insecurity, insisting that the Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, has failed in its primary duty of protecting citizens.

Obasanjo spoke on Friday at the Plateau Unity Christmas and Praise Festival, held at the 10 Commandments Prayer Altar, Dwei-Du, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The former president lamented that insecurity had become a recurring national crisis spanning several administrations.

“In this country, one problem we have is the problem of insecurity, and it has been with us. It didn’t begin with this administration and not even the administration before it. The first responsibility of any government is the protection and security of its citizens,” he said.

He argued that Nigerians reserve the right to seek global assistance if their own government remains unable to safeguard them.

“We are part of the world community, and if our government cannot protect us, we have right to call on the international community to do for us what our government cannot do for us,” he said.

Obasanjo condemned attempts to trivialise killings based on ethnic or religious sentiment.

“For anybody to say because those who are being killed belong to this region, religion or tribe… Is that an explanation? I believe that is nonsensical,” he added.

‘We Are Being Killed… and We’re Tired’

The former president lamented that citizens across religious and ethnic lines had become victims of unchecked violence.

“We Nigerians are being killed, no matter the religion you belong to, no matter where you come from… Our government seem to be incapable of protecting us,” he said.

“If we are being killed, it is the responsibility of the government to do something about it. Government should stop the killings of Nigerians… The killing of Nigerians should be stopped.”

He insisted Nigerians “should have no apologies” for calling on the global community for help if the government continued to fail.

“For me, every Nigerian life that is lost to those criminals… it is a shame for Nigeria. And we should make sure that Nigeria gets out of that,” he said.

Obasanjo questioned why available intelligence and surveillance tools were not being deployed to track down perpetrators.

“In this day of technology and satellite, there should be nobody to hide anywhere after they commit such crime,” he said.

“Before I left government, I know we had capacity to pick up anybody in Nigeria who commit crime anywhere. And now we have much capacity… With drones, you can see them all and you can take them out. But why are we not doing that? Why are we apologizing, and why are we negotiating?”

He accused government actors of negotiating with criminals and allegedly paying them, only to deny it afterwards.

“But it has to stop. We are being killed and we are tired of being killed… whether they are Christians or Muslims or pagans, they are Nigerians and the life of every Nigerian matters,” he added.

Obasanjo stressed that ending the killings required collective action, urging prayers backed with vigilance.

“As the people continue to pray… they should also watch. The people should do what we have to do and also ask the government and leaders to do what they have to do at all levels,” he said.

In his remarks, Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang lamented the disunity among citizens, which he said was hindering development.

He urged Plateau residents to “drop things that divide them and focus on things that unite them,” insisting that progress could only be achieved through unity and shared purpose.