- Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi has stated that if he were President, he would have personally ventured into the forest to secure the release of the schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Oriire, Oyo State.
- Speaking during a live broadcast on Afia TV, Obi criticized President Bola Tinubu’s response to the 56-day abduction, faulting the lack of direct engagement with the state leadership during the crisis.
- Obi called for greater transparency in national security operations, demanding that security agencies publicly parade arrested criminal suspects rather than keeping operations shrouded in secrecy.
Former Anambra State Governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential aspirant, Peter Obi, has criticized the Federal Government’s handling of the recent mass abduction in Oyo State, asserting that decisive leadership required immediate and direct intervention.
Eko Hot Blog reports that speaking during a live interview, Obi faulted President Bola Tinubu for failing to personally contact Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde throughout the 56-day ordeal faced by the victims abducted from Oriire Local Government Area in May 2026.
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Obi argued that a leader must be willing to take extreme personal risks to safeguard citizens, stating that had he been in power, he would have personally led efforts into the forest within days of the incident to flush out the perpetrators, regardless of potential casualties during the rescue mission.
Reflecting on his tenure as Governor of Anambra State, Obi recalled how he directly confronted violent crime by authorizing decisive operations in notorious hideouts following consultations with then-President Olusegun Obasanjo.
He emphasized that effective security management requires clear authority, absolute personal responsibility, and a willingness to lead from the front.
Furthermore, Obi raised concerns over the perceived secrecy surrounding security achievements in Nigeria.
He urged defense and intelligence authorities to publicly display arrested criminal suspects and communicate operational outcomes clearly to the public, citing international practices where high-profile security operations are openly demonstrated to build public trust and deter future criminal activity.
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