Mr Peter Obi, the former Labour Party presidential candidate, has called on the government to declare war against insecurity following incessant reports of kidnapping sweeping across the country.

In a statement on X.com on Saturday, Obi wrote, “When I say we should declare war on the economy, power, and insecurity, some people spin the narrative, while others complain. But what else can we do?

“In the last 24 hours, several people have been kidnapped across Nigeria, including about 20 dental students from Maiduguri and Jos in Benue State.

“An Anambra State Commissioner and his wife were abducted in Edo State, and others travelling with them were killed. These are just a few of the many tragic incidents happening across the country.”

“We cannot continue living like this,” Obi said. “It’s time for bold action, collective resolve, and a united front against these challenges.”

“We must declare war on this massive insecurity and other ills that threaten our society and work tirelessly to build a safer, more prosperous, and just society for all,” he added.

His outcry comes less than 24 hours after the kidnapping of the Anambra State Commissioner for Youths Development, Patrick Aghamba, and his wife.

Sources said an aide of the commissioner, whose name was given as Kpajie ABK Offiah, an Onitsha youth and a stalwart of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), who was travelling with them, was shot dead by the kidnappers.

According to reports, they were on their way to Abuja for the wedding of Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s daughter taking place today, when they were kidnapped at the Kogi axis of the route.

Confirming the incident, the Press Secretary to Governor Soludo, Christian Aburime, said the government was yet to find out the exact location where the incident happened as Ubiaja, Edo State, was mentioned as well as Kogi State.

Aghamba was one of the 20 commissioners appointed by Governor Soludo in 2022.

The commissioner’s kidnapping incident comes hours after police authorities said that about 20 medical students had been kidnapped in Benue State.

The victims were said to be on their way to Enugu State, passing through the Otukpo Local Government Area in Benue before they encountered bandits.

According to the Public Relations Officer of the Benue State Police Command, Sewuese Anene, the victims were en route to Enugu for a programme when they ran into the kidnappers around Otukpo.

The students were said to be travelling in a convoy of two buses and were coming from the northern part of the country when they ran into the ambush on Thursday evening at about 5:30 pm.