Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has expressed deep concern over the worsening spate of killings, abductions, and banditry across Nigeria, warning that the nation is bleeding at a scale comparable to countries officially at war.

In a statement on Monday, Obi condemned the recent attack in Okigwe, Imo State, which left many dead and several others missing. He said the tragedy was yet another reminder of the “alarming insecurity reality” confronting Nigerians daily.

Citing a weekend report by Amnesty International, Obi noted that the human rights body accused the Federal Government of “emboldening bandits” through its failure to protect citizens. Amnesty documented multiple attacks in just one week, including the massacre of over 50 worshippers in a Katsina mosque, the abduction of more than 60 people in the same state, and the killing of at least 15 farmers in Mangu, Plateau State, which displaced over 200 families.

“Amnesty International revealed that in just two years of this administration, over 10,000 Nigerians have been killed by armed groups. Instead of improving security, insecurity has worsened, with new armed gangs emerging,” Obi said.

The former Anambra governor stressed the gravity of the crisis, pointing out that Nigeria, though not at war, has recorded civilian deaths comparable to Ukraine, a country under full-scale invasion.

“In two years, Nigeria’s insecurity crisis has taken almost as many civilian lives as a country under open warfare,” he lamented.

Obi urged the political class to put aside politicking and petty squabbles, insisting that the first duty of government is the protection of lives and property.

“We must wake up as a nation. This should concern all of us who claim to be politicians and leaders. We must put Nigerians first, stop the gossip and name-calling, and focus on addressing these real issues. The time to act is now,” he charged.

Reaffirming his message of hope, Obi concluded: “A New Nigeria is POssible.”