Peter Obi Calls for Independent Probe as Arrested Terrorists Allege Arms Supply by Government Officials
By Inemesit Friday
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, has called for an immediate, thorough and independent investigation into claims by arrested terrorists that government officials supplied them with arms and ammunition.
Obi made the call on Sunday in a statement posted on his verified X handle, reacting to a video circulating online in which suspected terrorists arrested in Kwara State alleged that they received ammunition and logistics support from government officials.
He expressed deep concern that despite the huge sums of money collected by successive governments for security purposes, insecurity has continued to expand across the country in a more brazen manner.
According to him, trillions of naira and billions of dollars have been spent over the years in the name of security, yet terrorism, banditry and kidnapping continue to thrive nationwide.
Obi said the allegation by the suspects lends weight to past assertions by former leaders on government complicity in prolonged insurgencies. He referenced a widely cited statement credited to late military ruler, General Sani Abacha, that any insurgency lasting more than 24 hours suggests government involvement.
He also recalled comments by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who once stated that Nigeria previously had the capacity to identify and locate criminals anywhere in the country, and questioned why such capabilities appear unused despite advances in technology such as drones and tracking tools.
Obi noted that the government controls telecommunications, intelligence systems and financial tracking mechanisms, yet insecurity continues unabated, a situation he said raises serious questions about leadership and accountability.
He further recalled that between 2010 and 2015, Nigeria invested in one of the most advanced police communication and tracking infrastructures in its history, designed to monitor criminal movements and facilitate rapid response, particularly against terrorism.
The former Anambra State governor questioned the whereabouts of such equipment and why terrorists’ confessions frequently implicate government officials.
He cited the recent release of about 100 children abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic School, which he said was celebrated by government officials, even though no terrorist was reportedly arrested or punished, and with no clear update on over 200 children and teachers still in captivity.
Obi questioned why existing security equipment had not been deployed to track the terrorists and rescue the remaining victims.
He warned that persistent insecurity on such a scale points either to complicity or a failure of leadership, stressing that no society should accept either.
According to him, the primary responsibility of any government is the protection of lives and property, adding that Nigeria needs leaders with competence, transparency and capacity who will decisively end insecurity in the country.
