Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has warned that Nigeria’s worsening security situation is fast becoming a “national emergency in slow motion,” marked by increasing violence, widespread fear, and declining public confidence in governance.

Obi made the remarks in Abuja during his acceptance speech after being affirmed as the NDC’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.

He said the country is witnessing a dangerous deterioration of security across multiple fronts, leaving citizens increasingly vulnerable to attacks and uncertain about the government’s capacity to protect lives and property.

According to Obi, the primary responsibility of any government is the protection of its citizens, stressing that failure to guarantee security undermines the legitimacy of the state.

He described Nigeria’s security architecture as overstretched and increasingly incapable of addressing the scale and complexity of the country’s security challenges.

“Nigeria can no longer rely solely on reactive measures. Our security framework must be fundamentally restructured into an intelligence-driven and technology-enabled system capable of anticipating and preventing threats before they occur,” he said.

Obi also linked the country’s insecurity to worsening socio-economic conditions, arguing that poverty, unemployment and social exclusion are fueling instability and providing fertile ground for criminal activities.

He maintained that military action alone cannot resolve the crisis unless the underlying causes of insecurity are addressed.

“We are treating the symptoms rather than the root causes. Economic hardship has become a major driver of insecurity, and unless we expand opportunities and promote economic inclusion, the cycle of violence will continue,” he stated.

While commending the sacrifices of security personnel across the country, Obi said bravery alone would not be enough to overcome the challenges confronting Nigeria.

He pledged to strengthen intelligence gathering and sharing among security agencies, improve operational equipment, enhance inter-agency coordination, and provide better welfare packages for personnel involved in counter-insurgency and law enforcement operations.

The former Anambra State governor further cautioned that Nigeria risks normalising insecurity if urgent reforms are not implemented.

He argued that governance should ultimately be judged by the government’s ability to protect its citizens rather than by political rhetoric or official statistics.

Obi’s comments are expected to further fuel national conversations on security ahead of the 2027 elections, with analysts describing insecurity as one of the defining issues likely to shape political discourse in the coming years.