Labour Party (LP) Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has called for measures that would strengthen security across the country from the President Bola Tinubu-led government, following recent attacks in Benue and Plateau States.
He made the demand on Monday, July 13 in a statement shared on his official X page titled: ‘The Unending Killings in Benue and Plateau – Worrisome’.
According to the former Anambra State governor, the latest attacks, which reportedly claimed at least 16 lives in the Otukpo-Nobi community of Benue State and nine members of the same family, including a two-month-old baby, in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, reflect the continued security challenges facing affected communities.
He lamented that families in both states and other parts of the country had continued to experience violence, displacement and loss of livelihoods, stressing that the situation should not be treated as normal.
Obi wrote, “The tragic news of yet another round of killings in Benue and Plateau States is both painful and deeply disturbing”.
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He added, “The primary responsibility of any government is the protection of lives and property. Every Nigerian life is sacred, and every life lost is one too many.
“These are not mere statistics; they are fathers, mothers, children, breadwinners and future leaders whose dreams have been violently cut short”.
Obi went on to call for a security strategy that prioritises intelligence gathering, rapid response and accountability, adding that those responsible for the attacks should be identified, arrested and prosecuted.
“The time has come to move beyond routine condemnations after every attack. Nigerians deserve a security architecture that is proactive rather than reactive, driven by intelligence, rapid response and accountability.
“Those responsible for these atrocities must be identified, arrested and prosecuted. The culture of impunity must end”, he demanded.
He expressed hope that affected communities would recover from the attacks while consoling the families of those who lost their lives, as well as the governments and residents of Benue and Plateau States.