Obi to FG: How Did You ‘Rescue’ 100 of 300 Children Without a Single Arrest or Prosecution?

…Demands Probe of Alleged Arms Supply to Terrorists by “Govt. Officials”

By Franklin Adole

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi, has sharply questioned the federal government’s handling of recent mass abductions, asking how 100 out of over 300 kidnapped schoolchildren could be “rescued” without a single arrest, prosecution, or public accounting for the perpetrators.

In a strongly worded statement titled “Insecurity and the Crisis of Accountability in Nigeria,” Obi described the government’s celebration of the release of about 100 children as deeply troubling, noting that more than 200 children and teachers remain in captivity with no clear update on their fate.

According to Obi, government officials publicly applauded themselves for the partial release, yet failed to announce the arrest of any terrorist, bandit, or collaborator involved in the crime, nor any prosecution or punishment.

“About 100 children were released just days ago, and government officials celebrated,” Obi said. “Yet no terrorist was arrested, no prosecution announced, and to this day, no clear update has been given on the more than 200 children and teachers still in captivity.”

The former Anambra State governor argued that such celebrations amount to rewarding criminality and encouraging future abductions, especially when kidnappers are neither tracked nor brought to justice.

Obi questioned why the federal government continues to negotiate with terrorists and bandits—often involving ransom payments—rather than deploying Nigeria’s existing security and intelligence infrastructure to locate, arrest, and eliminate criminal networks.

He recalled that Nigeria once possessed advanced surveillance, communication, and tracking systems capable of monitoring criminal movements and enabling rapid response, particularly during the 2010–2015 period of the Goodluck Jonathan Presidency.

“Between 2010 and 2015, Nigeria built one of the most advanced police communication and tracking infrastructures in its history,” Obi said. “These systems were designed to track terrorists, monitor communications, and facilitate rapid response. We must ask: where are these tools today, and why are they not being used?”

Obi also referenced the words of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who had publicly questioned why Nigeria, despite having modern technology such as drones and tracking tools, still negotiates with terrorists instead of locating and neutralising them.

The LP flagbearer warned that failure to arrest and prosecute abductors sends a dangerous signal that crime pays, particularly when large sums are budgeted annually for security without corresponding results.

“Trillions of naira and billions of dollars have been spent in the name of security, yet insecurity continues to expand across the country in an increasingly brazen manner,” he lamented.

While stopping short of directly accusing the government of complicity, Obi said persistent cases where terrorists walk free after mass abductions raise serious questions about leadership, accountability, and political will.

“When insecurity persists on this scale, day after day, it points either to complicity or to a failure of leadership,” he said. “No society should accept either.”

Obi concluded by insisting that the foremost responsibility of any government is the protection of life and property, stressing that a government that truly prioritises human life does not celebrate partial rescues but ensures that every captive is freed and every criminal is brought to justice.