A House of Representatives aspirant under the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Ikeagwuonwu Chinedu Klinsmann, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare a national emergency on insecurity.
He warned that the rise in killings, kidnappings, terrorist attacks and assaults on schools poses a serious threat to Nigeria’s stability.
In a statement issued in Awka, Anambra State, on Friday, Klinsmann said the worsening security situation across the country requires urgent and coordinated action from all levels of government.
He argued that the frequent attacks on communities, highways, farms, places of worship and educational institutions show that Nigeria is facing a national crisis rather than isolated security incidents.
“The soul of our nation bleeds. I can no longer remain silent in the face of the unrelenting assault on our people, especially our innocent children,” he said.
Klinsmann expressed particular concern over recent attacks on schools, saying the safety of children and teachers must become a top national priority.
“When children can no longer learn in safety and teachers become targets of criminal violence, then the very future of the nation is under attack. No responsible government should tolerate a situation where classrooms become theatres of fear and insecurity,” he stated.
According to him, insecurity is also hurting the economy by forcing farmers off their lands, discouraging investment, disrupting businesses and displacing families.
He said many Nigerians, especially those in rural communities, increasingly feel abandoned due to repeated attacks and what they perceive as inadequate responses from security agencies.
“This insecurity is a direct threat to Nigeria’s democracy, unity and future. It undermines the social contract between the government and the governed,” Klinsmann said.
The NDC aspirant blamed the security crisis on weak leadership, poor intelligence gathering, inadequate coordination among security agencies, corruption and insufficient use of technology.
While acknowledging the efforts of security personnel, he called for better funding, equipment and support for the military, police and other security agencies.
Klinsmann urged the federal government to immediately declare a national emergency on insecurity, strengthen intelligence networks, deploy modern surveillance technology and improve the protection of schools and vulnerable communities.
He also called for greater transparency in defence spending and advocated investment in agriculture, youth employment, skills development and social protection programmes to address the root causes of insecurity.
As a House of Representatives hopeful for Anaocha, Njikoka and Dunukofia Federal Constituency, Klinsmann pledged to support laws aimed at strengthening national security institutions and improving oversight of public spending.
He urged Nigerians to demand accountability from leaders and work together to tackle insecurity through democratic and peaceful means.