Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called on the Federal Government to halt all forms of negotiation and apologies to terrorists, urging instead for decisive military action and international assistance to address the worsening security crisis across the country.
Obasanjo made the remarks on Friday during the Plateau State Unity Christmas Carol and Praise Festival held in Jos, the state capital.
His comments come amid a fresh wave of killings, mass abductions, and attacks that have plagued several northern communities in recent weeks.
On November 21, 315 students and 13 teachers were kidnapped from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State. This incident followed the abduction of 26 schoolgirls at the Government Girls Secondary School, Maga, in Danko-Wasagu LGA of Kebbi State on November 17.
In another attack, bandits invaded the Palaita community in Erena Ward, Shiroro LGA of Niger State, abducting 24 people, including pregnant women, from a rice farm. Additionally, around 20 persons were kidnapped in separate raids across Kano and Kwara States between Monday night and Tuesday morning.
These incidents occurred shortly after 38 worshippers abducted from Christ Apostolic Church, Oke-Isegun, Eruku, in Ikere, Kwara State, were released following negotiations between the Federal Government and their captors.
In a more recent attack on Tuesday, 10 persons, including a pregnant woman, nursing mothers, and children, were taken from Isapa community, located a few kilometres from Eruku in Kwara State.
Addressing the gathering in Jos, Obasanjo expressed deep concern over the rising insecurity, stating that Nigerians have the right to seek international intervention when their government fails to protect them.
“No matter your religion, background, or profession, Nigerians are being killed, and our government seems unable to protect us,” he said.
“We are part of the global community. If our government cannot do it, we have the right to call on the international community to do for us what our government cannot do.”
Obasanjo stressed that Nigeria now possesses the technology to dismantle terrorist hideouts, noting that advancements such as drones make it easier to locate and neutralize threats.
“Before I left office, we had the capacity to identify and locate any criminal anywhere in the country. The challenge then was apprehending them without moving by land or air. Today, we have drones. We can fish them out and take them down. So why are we not doing it? Why are we apologising? Why are we negotiating?” he queried.
