A presidential aspirant on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peter Obi, has told President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that he must rise fully to the immense challenge of national security.
In a post on his X handle on Monday night, he said decisive leadership, strengthened coordination of the security architecture, and sustained investment in modern defence capacity are required to address the worsening insecurity and prevent further loss of innocent lives.
His advice followed reports of an accidental airstrike at Jilli Market in the Borno–Yobe border area, which reportedly resulted in the deaths of several innocent Nigerians.
Obi said that, amid the challenges facing the country, citizens must continue to stand in solidarity with military personnel who risk their lives daily to keep Nigeria safe, while also insisting that they are properly equipped and fully supported to discharge their duties effectively and prevent avoidable tragedies of this nature.
“I extend my deepest condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the government and people of the affected states in this painful tragedy. May God grant eternal rest to the departed and comfort to all who are grieving.
“I have refrained from making any hasty conclusions on the matter, as the details remain unclear, including what exactly transpired and the confirmed casualty figures.
“That said, such tragic incidents are often associated with a combination of factors, including operational constraints, coordination challenges, and limitations in equipment and ageing platforms. We have witnessed similar occurrences in Nigeria in the past, and this underscores the urgent need to invest in modern fighter jets, upgrade existing platforms, and ensure continuous, rigorous training and retraining of military personnel,” the post read in part.
