This post has already been read 261 times!

ABUJA – Young Progressives Party (YPP) presidential hopeful for the 2027 elections and Global Convener of The Movement Nigeria (TMN), Arc. Dr. Peter Adole Agada, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently modernise Nigeria’s security architecture, saying only a technology-driven and intelligence-led approach can halt the recurring wave of violent attacks across the country.

Agada made the call in a statement issued in reaction to the recent killings in Akpachi and Otukpo-Nobi communities of Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, describing the incident as another tragic reminder of the nation’s deepening security crisis.

He said the Federal Government must move beyond symbolic responses to mass killings and focus on building a security system capable of identifying, tracking and prosecuting terrorists, armed militias, kidnappers, bandits and their collaborators wherever they operate.

According to him, Nigeria has the financial capacity to establish a world-class security infrastructure, but has been held back by what he described as a lack of political will, transparency and commitment in the implementation of security policies.

Agada explained that he delayed commenting publicly on the Otukpo attack to allow The Movement Nigeria to conduct an independent verification of the incident through official sources, eyewitnesses, emergency responders and members of the organisation deployed to the affected communities.

The findings of the investigation, he said, indicated that the number of casualties was significantly higher than official figures, alleging that more than 50 people—including women, children and elderly residents—lost their lives, while many others sustained injuries and several families were displaced by the attack.

He further claimed that one family of nine, including a two-year-old child, was completely wiped out during the assault by suspected armed Fulani militia.

The YPP presidential hopeful extended condolences to the bereaved families and communities affected by the violence, describing the recurring attacks across Benue, Plateau and other parts of the Middle Belt as a serious threat to national unity, food security and socio-economic development.

Agada also expressed concern over what he described as the persistent inability of successive governments to hold perpetrators of mass killings accountable despite huge annual budgetary allocations to the security sector.

Drawing from research conducted by The Movement Nigeria, he claimed that more than 101,000 Nigerians were killed through terrorism and other violent crimes between 2016 and 2021, arguing that the statistics underscore the urgent need for comprehensive security reforms.

He compared Nigeria’s daily casualty figures with those recorded during the Russia-Ukraine conflict, contending that the country’s security challenges have reached alarming proportions despite the absence of a formally declared war.

The former presidential aspirant urged the Federal Government and state authorities to make the protection of lives and property the foremost priority of governance, insisting that perpetrators of the Otukpo killings must be arrested and prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to future attacks.

Agada further called for the deployment of advanced surveillance technologies, digital intelligence systems and stronger coordination among security agencies to dismantle criminal networks operating across the country.

He maintained that restoring peace, strengthening the rule of law and ensuring accountability in the nation’s security sector are essential to rebuilding public confidence and creating an environment conducive to investment, agricultural productivity and sustainable economic growth.

The statement was signed by Arc. Dr. Peter Adole Agada, YPP Presidential Hopeful for 2027 and Global Convener of The Movement Nigeria (TMN).