Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has urged an immediate, transparent, and independent investigation into claims by suspected terrorists in Kwara State that government officials supplied them with ammunition and logistical support.

Obi made the call in a statement shared on his official X (formerly Twitter) account Sunday, following the circulation of a video in which arrested suspects made the allegations.

“The allegation, now circulating widely, demands nothing less than an immediate, transparent, and independent investigation,” Obi said, warning that such claims strike at the heart of Nigeria’s ongoing security crisis.

He noted that despite “trillions of naira and billions of dollars” spent on security, insecurity continues to escalate in both scale and audacity across the country. Obi cited a remark often attributed to the late military ruler, General Sani Abacha: “Any insurgency that lasts more than 24 hours, the government is involved,” suggesting that these latest claims lend weight to the statement.

Obi also referenced former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who questioned the government’s handling of terrorism despite advances in technology. “Before I left office, Nigeria could identify and locate anyone who committed any crime anywhere in the country. Today, with drones and improved tracking tools, we can easily locate and remove them. But we are not doing that. Why are we negotiating with terrorists?” Obi said.

The former Anambra State governor highlighted that Nigeria controls telecommunications, intelligence systems, and financial tracking tools, yet kidnapping, banditry, and terrorism continue to flourish. He recalled that between 2010 and 2015, Nigeria invested heavily in advanced police communication and tracking infrastructure designed to monitor criminal and terrorist activity.

Obi questioned why these tools have not been deployed effectively, asking, “Where are these pieces of equipment, and why are they not being used? Why do terrorists’ confessions so often implicate government officials?”

He also expressed concern over the handling of mass abductions, including the attack on St. Mary’s Catholic School, where about 100 children were recently released. “Government officials celebrated, yet no terrorist was arrested, no punishment announced, and, to this day, no clear update has been given on the more than 200 children and teachers still in captivity,” Obi said.

Concluding his statement, Obi emphasized that the government’s primary duty is the protection of life and property. “A government that truly makes human life a priority does not pamper insecurity; it eliminates it. Nigeria needs leaders of competence, transparency, and capacity — leaders who will end this insecurity once and for all,” he asserted.