By Muhammed Abubakar, Reporting
FORMER Nigerian President, General Olusegun Obasanjo (retd), has urged the Federal Government to move beyond rhetoric and take decisive action against the nation’s worsening insecurity, stressing that seeking support from the international community is both necessary and justified.
Speaking on Friday evening during the opening of the second edition of the Plateau State Unity Christmas Carols and Praise Festival 2025, held at the Ten Commandments Prayer Altar in Doi, Jos South LGA, Obasanjo said the government’s failure to protect citizens violates the very essence of governance.
He insisted that every Nigerian has the right to appeal to the international community when the government appears unable to guarantee their safety, adding that Nigeria’s membership of the global community makes such appeals legitimate.
According to him, modern technology, from satellites to drones, makes it possible to track criminals wherever they hide.
“Nobody should be able to hide after committing a crime. Nigeria has the capacity to pick them up without moving on land or by air,” he said.
Obasanjo commended Governor Caleb Mutfwang for sustaining governance continuity and suggested that the Plateau Unity Christmas Carols and Praise Festival be placed on the global tourism calendar, attracting visitors from across Nigeria, Africa, and beyond.
He noted that the Christmas season symbolises abundant life and goodwill for all people, irrespective of religion, race, or culture.
Turning to national issues, the former president lamented the deepening insecurity, noting that kidnapping has worsened from the era of the Chibok girls to the present day.
He faulted attempts to justify killings based on ethnicity, religion, or region, describing such arguments as “nonsensical”.
“We are Nigerians, regardless of religion, origin, or profession, and we are being killed. Our government seems incapable of protecting us,” he said. “If our government cannot do it, we have a right to call on the international community to help us. We should have no apology for that.”
He criticised the government’s reported negotiations with terrorists, alleging that payments to criminals only perpetuate the violence. “It has to stop,” he declared.
Obasanjo called on citizens, leaders, and stakeholders, locally and internationally, to work together to restore security, insisting it is a collective responsibility.
“Every Nigerian life lost is a shame for Nigeria,” he said.
Governor Mutfwang, in his remarks, said unity remains Plateau State’s strongest tool against the forces troubling the region.
He urged residents to abandon divisions and embrace shared purpose, describing Plateau as a “blessed state” whose potential has been hindered by internal strife.
“With unity, we will speak with one voice and pursue the same vision,” the governor said. “Let us drop the things that divide us and focus on the things that unite us. Plateau is for all of us, and together, we will make its blessings a reality.”
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