By Ireti Asemota.
Former National Conscience Party (NCP) presidential candidate Chief Martin Onovo has urged the Nigerian government to use all of the country’s resources to combat insecurity. In his speech in Lagos, Onovo emphasized the importance of decisive action and coordinated efforts to reestablish lasting peace in affected regions.
The activist, who is also the Movement for Fundamental Change’s head of policy, made the remarks in response to the United States’ recent designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” due to alleged attacks on people of a particular faith. The Nigerian government says that the U.S. classification is wrong and that the security issues are not religious but rather criminal. On the other hand, Onovo argued that rather than arguing about how the violence should be described, the government should prioritize a comprehensive security strategy. “There should be political will to crush the insurgency.
Terrorist attacks are killing ordinary Nigerians, regardless of religion or creed. He stated, “Nobody should be killed.”
He emphasized that the government should use all national resources to combat insurgents, noting that military force alone is insufficient. In addition, Onovo stated that he would be willing to receive assistance from the United States, implying that Nigeria could make similar requests for assistance as Israel did. “Our military can overcome the insurgents if they are properly empowered, given clear directives, and granted operational freedom. When fully supported with resources and motivation, these terrorists are nothing to our security forces,” he added. Onovo advised President Bola Tinubu to strengthen both the armed forces and intelligence agencies to effectively tackle insurgents and criminal networks.
He emphasized the significance of community cooperation in securing critical infrastructure and preserving lives, and he urged security agencies to improve intelligence sharing with state and local authorities for the purpose of tracking insurgent movements. In order to deter future support for criminal activity, he also recommended prosecuting terrorist sponsors and financiers, and he emphasized that rehabilitation and reintegration policies should complement rather than replace firm security measures. Onovo also noted that Nigeria could benefit from selective international collaboration, provided such assistance respects the country’s sovereignty and aligns with national security priorities.
The former candidate for the NCP urged community and religious leaders to increase their efforts to combat extremism. He emphasized that collective moral leadership would help isolate extremists and strengthen national unity, and he urged Islamic and Christian leaders to condemn the insurgency together. He declared, “No Nigerian, Christian, Muslim, or Pagan, deserves to be murdered by terrorists or criminals.” In a similar vein, senior PDP member Prince Laja Adeoye warned the United States against military intervention under the guise of protecting Christians. Adeoye argued that Nigeria does not need foreign troops to address domestic terrorism, but rather responsible leadership that safeguards lives and property regardless of religion or ethnicity.
He issued a warning that the involvement of foreign military forces frequently results in long-term instability and humanitarian crises, which could make things even worse for ordinary Nigerians. Adeoye emphasized that Nigeria’s security forces are capable of defeating insurgents if adequately equipped, and he suggested that the United States could provide military equipment and technical support rather than troops.
