Peter Obi Calls for Probe Over Alleged Government Support for Kidnappers, Terrorists

Peter Obi, has called for an immediate, transparent, and independent investigation into allegations that government officials are supplying arms and logistics to bandits and kidnappers operating in the country.

Obi made the call in a statement issued on Sunday, reacting to a viral video in which suspected terrorists, arrested by security forces, claimed they received ammunition and logistical support from government officials.

Describing the allegations as deeply disturbing, Obi said such revelations lend credence to a remark attributed to late military ruler, General Sani Abacha, that “any insurgency that lasts more than 24 hours, the government is involved.”

“Yesterday, a disturbing video emerged in which suspected terrorists arrested by security forces claimed that ammunition and logistics were supplied to them by government officials,” Obi said. “This allegation, now circulating widely, demands nothing less than an immediate, transparent, and independent investigation.”

The former governor lamented that despite trillions of naira and billions of dollars reportedly spent on security over the years, insecurity has continued to spread across Nigeria in an increasingly brazen manner.

He referenced former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who once stated that before leaving office, Nigeria had the capacity to identify and locate criminals anywhere in the country, adding that with modern technology such as drones and advanced tracking tools, terrorists could easily be traced and neutralised.

“Yet we are not doing that. Why are we negotiating with terrorists?” Obi queried.

According to him, the government controls telecommunications infrastructure, intelligence systems, and financial tracking mechanisms, yet kidnapping, banditry, and terrorism continue unabated, raising serious questions about leadership and accountability.

Obi also recalled that between 2010 and 2015, Nigeria invested heavily in advanced police communication and tracking systems designed to monitor criminal movements and terrorist communications.

“We must ask: Where are these pieces of equipment, and why are they not being used? Why do terrorists’ confessions so often implicate government officials?” he asked.

Citing recent incidents, Obi referenced the attack on St. Mary’s Catholic School, where about 100 abducted children were released and government officials celebrated, despite no reported arrest or punishment of the perpetrators.

“To this day, no clear update has been given on the more than 200 children and teachers still in captivity,” he said, questioning why available technology had not been deployed to rescue the remaining victims.

“When insecurity persists on this scale, day after day, it points either to complicity or to a failure of leadership. No society should accept either,” Obi added.

However, the Kwara State Government has denied claims linking the viral video to the state, clarifying that the suspects shown were arrested in Edo State, not Kwara.

The controversy has renewed public debate over Nigeria’s security challenges and the accountability of those entrusted with safeguarding lives and property.