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In a recent live broadcast, renowned attorney and ex-Commissioner of Information in Enugu State Ozo Igbonekwu Ogazimorah criticised the hyperbole surrounding the escalating nationwide security situation in Nigeria. He made a compelling case that the public is misled about the nature of violent terrorism by the existing vocabulary employed by political leaders.
In response to Peter Obi’s remarks about talks with armed groups, he reportedly said in a video posted on Friday, June 19, 2026, on the Official YouTube channel of Afia News, “I will tell you that it is a political statement because, in reality, if you call them bandits, they are criminals.”
The federal government’s treatment of these armed groups operating around the country is deeply concerning, according to the legal expert. He stressed that reducing mass abductions and coordinated attacks to banditry downplays the gravity of the crimes and protects those responsible from fair legal penalties.
Ogazimorah went on to say that the persistent use of nebulous language promotes a perilous narrative that calls for compromise instead of strict execution of the law. As he pointed out, civilised civilisations do not give in to criminal businesses that purposefully ruin lives and livelihoods within their borders.
According to the expert, if we keep going in the direction of PC ideology, we could end up entirely dismantling our internal security systems. He said that the government should be more aggressive in its response to non-state actors who threaten the safety of civilians and undermine the exclusive authority of the state to use force lawfully.
Ogazimorah emphasised the importance of appropriately reclassifying these threats under current anti-terrorism laws in order to guarantee a strong military response in his final remarks. He insisted that the first step toward achieving a durable national peace was to identify the genuine danger to national security and call it by its correct name.
