Peter Obi: Nigeria becoming a failed state — FG should seek foreign help

Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra, says Nigeria is becoming a failed state as it continues to battle growing insecurity.

Writing via his Twitter handle on Thursday, Obi called for a bipartisan approach to restoring peace across the country.

TheCable had reported how Nigeria recorded more than 10 security incidents on Monday as killings and attacks continued across the country.

In the north, residents remain at the mercy of Boko Haram insurgents and bandits while security agencies and government facilities are increasingly becoming targets of attacks by gunmen in the south.

As the situation continued to deteriorate, there have been concerns that the security agencies are becoming overwhelmed, prompting a need for external help in internal security.

Obi, who was a vice-presidential candidate under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2019, said Nigeria cannot be allowed to continue on a downward spiral.

He appealed to all citizens to unite in tackling the root causes of the insecurity which, according to him, “are now ruling and ruining our dear country”.

“All Nigerians, irrespective of party and other affiliations, should immediately join hands to tackle the spectre of insecurity, poverty and unemployment that are now ruling and ruining our dear country. We are fast becoming a failed state,” Obi wrote.

“We cannot allow the downward spiral to continue. The government should also urgently seek foreign help.”

Obi is the latest opposition figure to ask the Buhari administration to seek external help even as the house of representatives has called for a state of emergency in the security sector.

Buhari came his closest to seeking foreign help on Tuesday when he asked the United States to consider relocating the headquarters of its Africa Command (AFRICOM) from Germany as part of efforts to address insecurity in Nigeria and other African nations.