Dr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party's (LP) presidential candidate for the 2023 elections, claims that the tragic Air Force helicopter accident and the Monday morning attack in Niger that killed 36 troops have left him in a depressed state.
In a statement he published on his official X profile (formerly Twitter) on Friday, Obi echoed this sentiment.
On Thursday, the Nigerian Air Force reported that a MI-171 Helicopter on a mission to evacuate casualties crashed in Niger State.
According to Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, spokesman for the Nigerian Air Force, the plane went down in Chukuba Village, Niger.
He claims that the cause of the plane disaster is still unknown.
The episode, according to Obi, was regrettable and demoralising.
He voiced alarm about the appalling degree of insecurity that is prevalent throughout most of the nation, which he claimed had continued to cost the country valuable lives and property, as well as incurring economic consequences.
Obi also expressed compassion for the families of the brave warriors who died while defending their country and paid the ultimate price.
“The continual loss of lives, of our military men and other citizens, to insecurity is very painful and disgusting
“We must unite as a people, to subdue this monster of insecurity threatening our collective existence, without which no development will be experienced in the country,†he said.
While commiserating with the military agencies over the sad incidents, Obi urged them not to be dispirited over the challenges they faced but to see them as the inevitable path to go before achieving a safe and secure nation for all.
“I commiserate with our military agencies whose personnel have continued to pay the supreme price, for peace and security in our nation.
“I want you to remain courageous and resilient in the fight. I will also like to encourage a full-scale investigation to be carried out to unravel the cause of the helicopter crash as a way of preventing future occurrences,†Obi said.