Former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has condemned the continued wave of killings in Nigeria, accusing political leaders of prioritising preparations for the 2027 elections rather than addressing the country’s worsening insecurity.
Obi made the remarks on Friday in a post on X while reacting to a recent terrorist attack on Ngoshe community in Borno State. The attack reportedly targeted a military base as well as an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in the area.
According to reports, the assault resulted in the deaths of both civilians and soldiers, while several others remain missing. The incident has further heightened concerns over the persistent insecurity in parts of the country, particularly in the North-East.
Reacting to the development, Obi said he watched several videos of the attack with what he described as “deep horror.” He noted that the tragedy was yet another painful reminder of the suffering many Nigerians experience daily due to ongoing insurgency and violence.
The former governor of Anambra State lamented that despite the frequency of such attacks, political leaders appear more focused on political calculations ahead of the next general elections rather than taking decisive steps to end the violence.
He questioned how long Nigerians would continue to endure the consequences of what he described as poor leadership and mismanagement.
“How long will Nigerians continue to bear the consequences of poor leadership and mismanagement?” Obi asked. “How many more lives must be lost before decisive action is taken to secure our communities, protect the vulnerable, and dismantle the structures of these insurgents?”
Obi further criticised what he described as the self-serving interests of the political class. According to him, while citizens continue to lose their lives daily to terrorist attacks, many political leaders are already preoccupied with strategising for the 2027 election cycle.
“While Nigerians are slaughtered daily by terrorists, what is more troubling is that amid these daily killings, our political leaders are preoccupied with selfish schemings on how to steal, grab and run away with the next election cycle,” he said.
He added that such actions only perpetuate insecurity, poverty and underdevelopment across the country, urging leaders to prioritise the protection of lives and the restoration of stability in affected communities.
