Peter Obi of the Labour Party has condemned the killing of five Nigerian soldiers by gunmen as the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) separatists enforced a sit-at-home order in Abia State on Thursday.

“I condemn this atrocity in strong terms,” Mr Obi said in a statement on Friday, “and demand an immediate and thorough investigation into this crime in order to identify and punish the culprits.”

The former Anambra governor described the continuous bloodshed and violence in the country as the failure of the Nigerian state.

Mr Obi called on the Nigerian authorities to take swift action in taming insecurity.

“We must not stand idly by while our nation is torn apart by violence and fear. Our failure as a nation to protect our citizens and security personnel is a clear dereliction of duty and a sign of deficiency of the Nigerian state.

“The continued brutality and bloodshed in our nation must be met with swift and decisive action, not empty words and hollow promises,” Mr Obi said.

Killings and kidnapping have heightened since IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu was abducted in Kenya, repatriated to Nigeria and kept in detention by former President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime.

Mr Kanu has been detained since 2021, facing trial on treason charges.