Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to focus on poverty reduction, corruption eradication, and human capital development as a means to tackle Nigeria’s persistent security challenges.
In a strongly worded message posted Tuesday on his X handle, Obi warned that the root causes of insecurity in Nigeria go far beyond military operations, arguing that hunger, unemployment, and poor governance are pushing millions into crime and extremism.
“You cannot separate security from human development; they are inextricably linked,” Obi wrote.
“The criminality we witness in Nigeria today is the cumulative outcome of decades of misplaced priorities, corruption, and systemic neglect.”
Obi’s remarks come amid a surge in attacks, kidnappings, and banditry across various regions. He stressed that real development should not be measured by “white elephant projects”, but by investments in education, healthcare, and agriculture—sectors he described as national security imperatives.
Poverty and Insecurity
Referencing the grim reality that over 140 million Nigerians currently experience multidimensional poverty, Obi said the country's worsening living conditions have turned poor families into “breeding grounds for resentment” and extremist manipulation.
He echoed the recent sentiments of Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, who said:
“You cannot fight insecurity with bullets alone. You must address the root causes—poverty, unemployment, lack of education, and injustice.”
Obi further drew from the words of Mallam Aminu Kano, warning that Nigeria must stop “criminalising the hunger of the masses.”
A Call for Leadership and Reform
Citing Mother Teresa, the former Anambra State governor said that Nigeria's widespread suffering is not an act of God, but a result of leadership failure and public apathy.
“We can not keep reacting to crises self-inflicted by bad leadership and policy failure,” he stated.
“Every naira we invest in people today is one less bullet we need to fire tomorrow.”
Peter Obi concluded by calling on the Tinubu administration to break the cycle of bad governance and make bold, people-focused investments that would deliver lasting peace and prosperity.
“That is the real meaning of security,” he added. “That is how we build the new Nigeria that is possible.”
