Peter Obi, the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, presidential candidate, has questioned the Federal Government’s reported approval of 1,000 forest guards for Oyo State, arguing that Nigeria’s security challenges require a broader, coordinated approach.
Obi made the remarks in a statement posted on his official page while reacting to reports that President Bola Tinubu approved the recruitment for the state amid growing concerns over insecurity nationwide.
According to Obi, increasing the number of security personnel is important, but such measures should be implemented through a structured national strategy rather than on a state-by-state basis.
The former Anambra State governor noted that several states, including Oyo, Plateau, Kwara, Kogi, Borno, Katsina, Anambra, Niger, Imo and Sokoto, are currently facing various security challenges.
He questioned whether similar approvals would be extended to all states and the Federal Capital Territory, or whether such decisions would be made selectively.
“The question is whether all the states will receive the same approval to recruit 1,000 forest guards per state, or is the recruitment approval based on the mood of the President?
“While recruiting more security personnel for Oyo State and the country is important, it should be done in a more organised and well-thought-out manner,” Obi stated.
He also raised concerns about the future of the Western Nigeria Security Network, codenamed Amotekun Corps, asking whether the new recruitment initiative could affect its operations in Oyo State.
According to Obi, Nigeria’s security challenges are linked to broader governance and development issues, including unemployment, economic hardship and underutilisation of the country’s resources.
“The pervasive insecurity we currently have is directly related to the failure of our ecosystem, particularly leadership,” he said.
Obi argued that tackling insecurity requires what he described as a holistic or ecosystem approach, involving efforts to strengthen national unity, create jobs and improve productivity across key sectors of the economy.
“Addressing our insecurity situation requires a holistic or what can be described as an ecosystem approach,” he added.
