By Olatunbosun Obafemi
Renowned political economist, Professor Pat Utomi, has lamented the rising insecurity and preventable deaths in Nigeria, saying the country loses more lives daily than nations actively at war.
Utomi, in a reflective statement, noted that the season of prayers for peace around the world should also compel Nigerians to confront the grim reality at home.
“These days of praying for peace on earth remind us of the hypocrisy of terms of measurement. Technically, Nigeria is not at war. But more souls meet a violent end every day in Nigeria than in the big wars of our planet. I have called it a creeping and rolling civil war. Let’s stop it,” he said.
The former presidential candidate argued that Nigeria’s human casualty figures from banditry, terrorism, kidnappings, road accidents and dilapidated health services rival, and in some cases surpass, the death tolls recorded in conflict-ridden countries.
He stressed that poor governance, corruption and neglect of social services have combined to create a silent war claiming innocent lives across the federation.
Utomi further noted that insecurity in the North, ritual killings in the South, road crashes from bad highways, as well as avoidable deaths in underfunded hospitals, are everyday realities that continue to decimate the Nigerian population.
He warned that unless leaders act urgently to address these challenges, the country risks further collapse of its social fabric. “A government that cannot guarantee the safety and health of its people has failed in its primary duty,” he said.
The political economist, however, urged Nigerians not to lose hope, calling for collective pressure on leaders to prioritize the welfare of citizens above personal or partisan interests.
