Anambra, NIGERIA — Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, has strongly condemned the violent ambush of a GUO Transport bus along the Benin–Ore Expressway.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Obi described the incident—where the driver was killed and passengers abducted—as a “heartbreaking reminder” of the worsening security crisis on Nigerian highways.
The attack, which occurred near the Iguobazuwa axis on Saturday, has sparked national outrage.
Okay News reports that Obi expressed particular concern for “ordinary Nigerians” who rely on road travel and are increasingly exposed to “fear and uncertainty.” He emphasized that the primary responsibility of any state remains the protection of lives and property, labeling the current situation “unacceptable.”
Obi also highlighted the severe economic repercussions of highway criminality, noting that Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (SMEs) are being “quietly strangled.” He pointed out that transporters and traders are losing customers as citizens avoid road travel due to the high risk of kidnapping. “Economic activity is being quietly strangled by insecurity,” he warned, calling for an urgent rethink of the national security architecture.
The former Anambra State Governor joined other national figures, including Atiku Abubakar and Governor Babagana Zulum, who have recently called for more decisive countermeasures against sophisticated criminal networks. While the Edo State Police Command has launched a rescue operation, Obi urged the Federal Government to take “decisive steps” to ensure that security is not a luxury reserved only for those who can afford air travel.
The statement concluded with a prayer for the families of the affected victims and a call for a more coordinated approach to securing the nation’s vital transit corridors.
