Obi: Government officials shouldn’t embark on foreign trips until security is fixed

Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, says all foreign trips by people in government should be stopped until “we deal with the ugly situation facing us at home”. 

There has been an escalation in abductions for ransom — especially in Nigeria’s capital city of Abuja — since the turn of the year.

Gunmen have also laid siege to several communities in the north of the country, torching villages, murdering and pillaging farm produce.

Obi, a former Anambra governor, in a thread on his X page on Tuesday, said the surge in kidnappings and banditry across the country is huge cause for concern.

“As terror attacks, banditry, kidnappings and violence continue to rage through the country, it is more concerning now with the surge of violence spreading through the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja,” he said.

“It is now time for we the leaders, to take all forms of serious measures to tackle the situation.

“It is unfortunate that President Muhammadu Buhari, in 2015, campaigned and won the elections on three items; Security, Economy and Corruption (SEC).

“After his Eight years in office, the situation has worsened in all three areas. The present administration, on assuming office, promised to deal decisively with the same situation — Security, Economy and Corruption.

“At the Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association held in Lagos in August 2022, the then Vice Presidential Candidate, Sen Kashim Shettima categorically stated that if APC is elected, he as Vice President would be in charge of security, while the President as an expert in economy would handle the economy.

“Nigerians therefore now implore them to fulfil their campaign promises. Even if they do not achieve 100% results, we want to see 100% effort.”

Obi added that no foreign investor or partner would want to make an investment in Nigeria with the current security situation in the country.

“It is now time to stop all forms of foreign trips from people in government, until we deal with the ugly situation facing us at home,” Obi added.

“No foreign investor or partner will like to invest in Nigeria, with the situation we now find ourselves in.

“We must make sincere efforts to end the spread of violence and insecurity in our nation, in order to make any meaningful progress.”