The Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prioritise the security of Nigerian lives above ongoing infrastructure projects, warning that the country is now in a state of war.

Obi made the call in a statement posted via his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Wednesday, following the gruesome killing of over 100 people, including military personnel, in Zamfara State by suspected terrorists.

 “The soul of our nation is bleeding,” Obi said, describing the crisis as “beyond politics.”

He called on the President to face the “inevitable truth” that Nigeria is under siege and to act with urgency.

“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 decried the alarming frequency of violent deaths across the country, saying Nigeria’s security situation now rivals that of countries with declared wars.

 “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 lamented.

Obi also criticised what he described as misplaced government priorities.

 “Governance must now focus on saving lives, not cutting ribbons and headlining ceremonies on front pages," he said.

His comments come amid growing national outrage over increasing insecurity in many parts of the country, and mounting pressure on the Tinubu-led administration to deliver decisive solutions.