“Politicians Have Weaponized Insecurity for Political Gain,” Says Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Director-General of the World Trade Organization and former Minister of Finance, has strongly criticized Nigerian politicians for using insecurity as a political tool. Speaking at the opening of the 2024 Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association in Lagos, Okonjo-Iweala expressed concern over how political actors have manipulated security challenges for personal and political gain.

In her keynote address titled “A Social Contract For Nigeria’s Future,” Okonjo-Iweala highlighted the direct link between security and development, stating, “We cannot have socio-economic development without security. We certainly cannot have security without development.” She pointed out that the deliberate instigation of insecurity by some politicians has contributed to the country’s current state of instability.

Okonjo-Iweala condemned the tactics used by some politicians who, she said, worsen insecurity to discredit their opponents. “We have politicians who believe that the best way to make their opponents look bad is to instigate insecurity, making it look like they can’t govern, regardless of whether this leads to loss of lives and property of innocent Nigerians. This has to stop,” she urged.

Further addressing the issue, Okonjo-Iweala discussed the ongoing crisis of crude oil theft in Nigeria, which she said has severely impacted the nation’s economy. She called for the adoption of available technological innovations to track and curb this theft, emphasizing that there should be no excuses for inaction. “All Nigerians must agree that stealing our national assets of any type is intolerable and must be stopped,” she declared.

The former finance minister’s remarks have sparked widespread debate, as they come at a time when Nigeria faces significant challenges in both security and economic stability.