Describing killers of SuperSport crew as non-state actors wrong, British diplomat tells Obi

A former British diplomat, Mr. David Roberts, has criticised the recent statement by Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, regarding the killing of SuperSport TV crew members. Roberts described the attack as an act of criminality, not an incident involving “non-state actors” as Obi suggested.

In a statement on Monday, Roberts extended his condolences to the families of the victims and the media organisation affected by the tragedy, which occurred despite ongoing efforts by security agencies to curb criminal activity in the region.

The attack took place last Tuesday on the Ihiala-Orlu Road in Anambra State, when armed men ambushed the broadcast crew travelling to Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, to cover the Nigeria-Libya Africa Cup of Nations qualifier match. Two crew members and a policeman were killed in the incident.

Reacting to the killings, Obi blamed the attack on non-state actors and expressed sympathy for the victims.

“Non-state actors have continued to inflict pain and sorrow on families whose loved ones are often kidnapped and, at times, killed in gruesome ways,” Obi said on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Sunday. “In particular, I condemn in its entirety the unfortunate killing of some crew members of SuperSport TV, who were attacked in a tragic ambush along the Ihiala-Orlu Road, Anambra State, a few days ago.”

However, Roberts, a former director of the British Council in Nigeria, challenged Obi’s terminology, asserting that the attack was a criminal act, not terrorism or an organised action by separatist elements.

“By using the words ‘non-state actors’ to describe the perpetrators of this dastardly and cowardly attack, Mr. Obi has perhaps deliberately or inadvertently given the international community a clue that this incident was an act of terror or an organised act by a separatist group,” Roberts said.

He stressed the importance of proper terminology, cautioning that labelling the event as terrorism could harm Nigeria’s global reputation.

“Using the term ‘non-state actors’ in this incident unnecessarily stigmatises Nigeria, which may tank her index score in next year’s Global Terrorism Index published by the Institute for Economics and Peace,” Roberts stated.

The diplomat explained that while investigations into the attack are still ongoing, it appeared to be a random act of criminality by armed robbers or kidnappers, a type of crime seen in many parts of the world despite governments’ efforts.

He concluded by urging Nigerian public figures to exercise caution when discussing the country’s domestic issues, particularly in ways that could affect its international standing.

“The use of the term by Obi was unfortunate,” Roberts said. “Influential and prominent Nigerians must be mindful of Nigeria’s international reputation whenever they make statements about its domestic affairs.”