The Labour Party presidential candidate in the last general election, Mr Peter Obi, has called on President Bola Tinubu to prioritise the security of Nigerians over infrastructure projects, saying the country is effectively at war.

Obi made the call in a statement posted on his X handle on Wednesday, following the killing of over 100 persons, including military personnel, in Zamfara State by suspected terrorists.

He describes the situation as beyond politics, warning that the “soul of our nation is bleeding.”

“We cannot continue like this. It is time to prioritise the security of lives over infrastructure projects.

“With the brutal killings of over 100 people in Zamfara, including our revered military men, Mr. President, it is time to accept the inevitable truth and act decisively. Nigeria is at war. We can no longer afford the dangerous denial.”

The former Anambra State governor lamented the frequency of violent deaths across the country.

Obi stated that the current rate of killings in Nigeria rivals that of countries officially at war.

“The number of lives lost in Nigeria now mirrors countries at war, and the death in our own country even happens more often than in countries at war,” he said.

He stressed that governance must now focus on saving lives and not “cutting ribbons and headlining ceremonies on front pages.”