Former presidential candidate of Labour Party Peter Obi has expressed deep concern over the escalating wave of violence and institutional breakdown across the country, questioning whether Nigeria’s persistent crises are the result of a national curse or leadership failure.
In a strongly worded statement, Obi said the past 10 days have delivered an unprecedented cascade of tragic events, exposing what he described as a “clear absence of competent, compassionate and responsible leadership.” He warned that Nigeria is “drifting into avoidable disorder” despite the resilience and potential of its people.
Obi listed a series of major security breaches recorded between 11 and 23 November, including the kidnapping of senior Ministry of Defence directors along the Kogi axis; the killing of a Brigadier General; mass abductions of civilians in Zamfara, Kebbi and Niger States; an attack on worshippers in Kwara; the killing of farmers in Kaduna; and the ambush of soldiers and police officers in rescue efforts across the North.
He also criticised what he described as worsening institutional decay, citing the crisis at the PDP headquarters and the partisan display during the All Nigeria Judges’ Conference where judges stood to an APC campaign song ahead of the President’s arrival—an incident he said further eroded public trust in the judiciary.
Obi argued that Nigeria’s security challenges persist not due to fate but because leaders have abandoned their duty to protect citizens. He accused those in power of choosing “comfort over courage, politics over people, and power over purpose.”
He urged the political leadership to recommit to safeguarding the lives of every Nigerian, stressing that governance is a responsibility and not a title. “Nigeria is bleeding because those elected to protect the nation have not valued human life,” he said.
Expressing solidarity with victims and families affected by the recent incidents, Obi reiterated that Nigerians deserve safety, peace and a government that puts lives above politics.
He concluded with a message of hope: “Nigeria must rise again. A new Nigeria is possible.”
