Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has linked the killing of 13 worshippers in Katsina State to unemployment and poverty, describing them as the main forces behind Nigeria’s growing insecurity.
Obi made the statement on Wednesday in a post on his official X page while reacting to the bandit attack at a mosque in Unguwan Mantau, Malumfashi Local Government Area. The attack left at least 13 people dead during prayers on Tuesday.
The former Anambra State governor condemned the killings, calling them “unacceptable, even more so when it involves people who had gone to worship their Creator.”
He warned that unless urgent steps are taken to tackle the root causes of insecurity, more innocent lives will be lost.
“Rising from the euphoria of the recent improved performance of our security operatives—which led to the arrest of critical terrorist elements and attracted commendation both from me and internationally—ugly and deplorable news has now emerged from Katsina State: the brutal killing of 13 worshippers in a mosque,” Obi said.
He stressed that the killings were a reminder of the value placed on human life in Nigeria.
“So long as we fail to address crucial social challenges such as unemployment, and so long as we continue to operate a system that drives more people into multidimensional poverty, we will continue to experience these ugly consequences,” Obi added.
He commiserated with the families of the victims and the entire worship community in Katsina.
