…Obi Warns of “Full-Blown Security Emergency” After 100 Killed
…NOA Reels Out Security Gains, Calls for Vigilance, Public Support
By John Paul
Nigeria’s worsening insecurity dominated national discourse yesterday as Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, called for urgent mobilisation of all resources against what he described as a “full-blown security emergency.” His warning came just as the National Orientation Agency (NOA) highlighted what it called “remarkable achievements” by security and regulatory agencies in the past month.
Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, raised alarm in a post on his X handle following reports that more than 100 people were killed in attacks across Borno, Sokoto, Katsina, and Edo states over the weekend. He condemned the killing of eight Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel, the abduction of a Chinese national in Edo, and the kidnapping of passengers along the Benin–Iyere–Oluku road.
“The slaughter of five soldiers and 58 civilians in Borno are not isolated tragedies; these are stark evidence that Nigeria is in the grip of a full-blown security emergency,” Obi said.
He condoled with the families of victims, describing the fallen officers as heroes whose courage “reminds us that we still have men and women willing to risk everything for our safety.” He urged authorities to swiftly apprehend their killers and bring them to justice.
“When over 100 Nigerians are killed in a single weekend, our casualty figures rival those of countries officially at war,” Obi warned. He added: “No nation can prosper while it lives under siege. History shows that insecurity is the quickest path to national collapse. Somalia and Libya stand as painful warnings.”
The LP flagbearer called for the declaration of a national war on insecurity, urging the government to suspend distractions and mobilise “every resource, every agency, every state” to restore safety.
But in Abuja, NOA Director-General Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu presented a different picture, pointing to what he described as measurable security gains recorded in August 2025. At a joint security media briefing, he listed operations and arrests across the country.
“The Army executed 261 operations; Police made 1,950 arrests and rescued 141 victims; the NDLEA seized 66,255.81kg of narcotics and deployed 48 new vehicles to the field,” Issa-Onilu said. He added that the EFCC secured 558 convictions and recovered over ₦21.06 billion, while NAFDAC intercepted 17 containers of falsified and unsafe goods.
He further disclosed that the Nigerian Immigration Service approved 10,803 visas, intercepted trafficking victims, and denied entry to targeted individuals, all part of strengthened border controls.
“These results reflect positive outcomes from tighter inter-agency coordination, stronger intelligence-led action, and expanded communication to counter misinformation, in line with presidential directives to keep the country safe,” the NOA boss said.
Issa-Onilu also announced that NOA had activated its offices nationwide to take security awareness campaigns into communities through road shows, rallies, worship centres, and traditional palaces. He urged Nigerians to report suspicious movements, avoid spreading unverified alerts, and support anti-drug and anti-smuggling campaigns.
“Let it be known that every rescued victim is a life put back on track, and every smuggler is put out of the community,” he said.
As Obi pressed for an emergency response to mounting violence, the NOA emphasised that security agencies are degrading terror logistics, breaking criminal supply chains, and protecting communities.
Observers note that both interventions underscore the gravity of Nigeria’s security challenge and the urgency of closing the gap between ongoing operations and the grim reality of lives still being lost.