Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration, stating that Nigerians are justified in seeking assistance from the international community because the government has failed in its responsibility to protect citizens.
Obasanjo spoke in Jos, Plateau State, during a public event where he condemned the continued killings across the country and the government’s weak response to the crisis. He stressed that no citizen should lose their life because of their identity or location, yet the state continues to provide excuses while people are being massacred.
He said:
“No matter your religion, tribe, or background, Nigerians are being killed, and our governments appear unable to protect us. We are members of the global community. If our government cannot protect us, we have the right to seek help from the international community.”
Obasanjo rejected claims that the violence affects only specific regions or groups, insisting that every life lost is a national loss.
“For anyone to say those being killed belong to a certain region or religion is unacceptable,” he added.
He also reflected on the capacity of security agencies during his administration. According to him, the government had the ability to track criminals anywhere in the country but lacked the technology to neutralise them without deploying troops.
“Before I left office, we had the capacity to locate any criminal in Nigeria. What we lacked was the technology to eliminate them without sending personnel by land or air,” he said.
Obasanjo noted that Nigeria now has drone technology capable of taking out terrorists remotely, yet the government has chosen negotiation and apologies over decisive action.
“With drones, you can take them out. Why are we not doing that? Why apologise? Why negotiate?” he asked.
