The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has condemned the recent killings and abductions in parts of the North-Central region, warning that Nigeria must not be allowed to become a “killing field.”
Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, made the statement on Sunday through his X handle while reacting to recent attacks in Benue, Plateau and Niger states.
He described the growing violence as a national security emergency and called on the Federal Government and state authorities to take urgent steps to protect communities, rescue abducted citizens and bring those behind the attacks to justice.
Obi said the scale of the recent attacks was alarming, especially because the affected states are not in a declared war.
“What is happening to our country? In recent days, deadly attacks have struck Benue, Plateau and Niger States, three contiguous states in Nigeria’s North-Central region,” he said.
He cited the recent attack in Jwak Maitumbi community in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, where at least 23 people were officially reported killed.
According to him, residents put the death toll at more than 30, while over 45 houses were reportedly destroyed during the attack.
Obi also referred to attacks in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, where reports indicated that more than 40 people were killed and over 100 abducted.
He, however, acknowledged that the figures from the Niger incident remained contested.
The former Anambra governor said the attacks were taking place alongside continued violence in parts of Benue, where communities have faced repeated killings, kidnappings and destruction of homes and sources of livelihood.
He expressed concern that attacks were becoming a regular occurrence in communities that should ordinarily be protected by the government.
“Nigeria is not officially at war, yet citizens are being attacked in their villages, abducted after prayers, driven from their homes and stripped of their farms,” Obi said.
He argued that the incidents in Benue, Plateau and Niger should not be treated as separate or isolated security incidents.
According to him, the pattern of violence shows a wider national security problem that requires a coordinated response from governments and security agencies.
The former governor said similar incidents were being recorded in other parts of the country, adding that the growing insecurity was affecting the ability of citizens to live and work freely.
Obi called on the Federal Government, state governments and security agencies to strengthen their security operations and improve intelligence gathering.
He also urged authorities to develop better rapid-response systems capable of reaching communities quickly when attacks are reported.
“I urge governments at all levels to wake up to their responsibility and take urgent and decisive action to end this madness once and for all,” he said.
“Government must protect vulnerable communities, improve intelligence and rapid-response capabilities, rescue abducted Nigerians, and arrest and prosecute those responsible.”
Obi said the priority of government should be to prevent attacks rather than waiting until after lives had been lost before responding.
He argued that the continuous counting of victims after every attack was not enough to solve the security crisis.
“We cannot keep counting bodies after every attack. We must prevent these attacks before they happen,” he said.
“Protecting lives and property is the most basic duty of government. Nigerians deserve nothing less. Nigeria must not become a killing field.”
The comments come amid renewed concerns over insecurity across several parts of Nigeria, particularly in rural communities where armed groups and criminal gangs have continued to attack residents.
Benue has remained one of the states facing serious security challenges, with communities reporting attacks, kidnappings and destruction of farms and homes.
The state has also experienced longstanding tensions between farmers and herders, with disputes over land, grazing routes and access to farmland contributing to violence in some areas.
In Plateau State, attacks on communities have also continued to raise concerns over the safety of residents. Mangu, which has experienced several violent incidents in recent years, has been among the areas affected by communal and armed attacks.
Niger State, which has large rural areas and shares borders with several states as well as the Federal Capital Territory, has also faced kidnapping and banditry.
The vast size of some of the affected states and the difficulty of providing security coverage in remote communities have made the fight against criminal groups more difficult.
Kidnapping has become a major national concern, with criminal groups targeting villagers, farmers, travellers and other residents for ransom.
The impact extends beyond the immediate loss of lives. Fear of attacks can force farmers away from their farms, disrupt food production and increase pressure on food prices.
Displaced residents also face difficulties rebuilding their lives after losing homes, farms and other property.
Obi’s call for stronger intelligence and rapid response reflects the growing demand for security agencies to move beyond reaction to attacks and focus more on preventing them.
Security experts have repeatedly stressed the importance of intelligence-led operations, cooperation with local communities and the use of technology to identify criminal groups and track their movements.
Community members can also play an important role by providing security agencies with information about suspicious movements and activities.
However, authorities have often faced the challenge of turning intelligence into timely action, particularly when attacks occur in remote areas.
Obi said the government must take responsibility for protecting citizens regardless of where they live.
He also called for the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the attacks, stressing that bringing perpetrators to justice was necessary to discourage further violence.
The call comes as political parties and their candidates increasingly focus on insecurity ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Security is expected to remain one of the major issues in the election, alongside the economy, unemployment, food prices and the rising cost of living.
For Obi, however, the immediate concern is the protection of Nigerians whose communities are under attack.
He maintained that government should not wait until more people are killed before taking action.
His warning that Nigeria must not become a “killing field” reflects growing public frustration over repeated attacks and the inability of security agencies to prevent some of them.
The former governor therefore urged the authorities to strengthen their operations, improve intelligence gathering, respond quickly to threats, rescue kidnapped citizens and ensure that those responsible for attacks face the law.
He maintained that the protection of lives and property remained the most basic responsibility of government and that Nigerians deserved effective action to restore safety to their communities.