Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has raised serious concerns over Nigeria’s worsening security situation, warning that the country is sinking into a cycle of avoidable tragedies caused by leadership failures.
A Nation Plagued by Violence
Obi expressed alarm at a string of violent incidents that have rocked Nigeria over the past ten days.
From kidnappings and attacks on civilians to political disruptions, he warned that these events mark a period of chaos, grief, and declining public confidence.
“Is Nigeria cursed, or are we the curse?” Obi asked, questioning why a nation rich in talent and resilience continues to drift deeper into insecurity.
Recent Kidnappings and Attacks
The former presidential candidate highlighted several recent tragedies.
On 11 November, six senior directors from the Ministry of Defence were abducted along the Kogi axis.
Just four days later, a Brigadier General was killed, signaling the danger even for high-ranking officials.
On 16 November, 64 civilians, including women and children, were abducted in Zamfara, followed by the abduction of 25 schoolgirls in Kebbi, where their Vice Principal was also murdered.
Institutional Weaknesses Exposed
Obi criticized the failure of state institutions to effectively respond to these crises.
He pointed to the attack on worshippers in Kwara on 18 November, where lives were lost and 38 people were abducted, and condemned the security response to the PDP Wadata Plaza crisis on the same day.
He also criticized judges at the All Nigeria Judges Conference for allowing partisan displays ahead of the President’s visit, saying such actions undermine public trust in institutions expected to be impartial.
Further Security Breaches
The former presidential candidate further cited an ambush on soldiers deployed to rescue abducted schoolgirls, the abduction of over 300 children and 12 teachers in Niger State on 21 November, attacks on farmers in Kaduna, the killing of five police officers in Bauchi, and the seizure of 13 female farmers in Borno.
These incidents, Obi said, show a pattern of systemic insecurity and lawlessness.
Call for Accountable Leadership
Obi stated that Nigeria’s security challenges are not the result of fate.
He blamed leadership failures for allowing insecurity to thrive and called for a governance system that prioritizes human life.
He wrote: “Is Nigeria cursed, or are we the curse?
The past 10 days in Nigeria have witnessed unprecedented negative news, a level of chaos, insecurity, and institutional decay that should trouble the conscience of all the leaders.
Our country is now going through troubling times, not by fate, but by our collective leadership failures that allow insecurity, lawlessness, and institutional decay to thrive. Each day confronts us with a new tragedy and a new reminder that our beloved country is drifting amid a clear absence of competent, compassionate, responsive and responsible leadership.
We have all watched a nation blessed with people of strength and resilience drift into avoidable disorder. We should be asking ourselves: Are we cursed, or are we the curse?
The past 10 Days in Nigeria
1.11/11/25 – 6 senior directors from the Ministry of Defence were kidnapped along the Kogi axis, reminding us that even those tasked with securing our nation are no longer safe.
2.15/11/25 – A senior military officer, a Brigadier General, was brutally executed, a grave signal of the danger engulfing both civilians and security personnel.
3.16/11/25 – 64 civilians, including women and children, were abducted in Zamfara, with innocent lives also lost in the attack.
4. 17/11/25 – 25 schoolgirls, young children with dreams and innocence, were abducted in Kebbi and their Vice Principal was killed, adding to the heartbreaking list of attacks on our nation’s future.
5. 18/11/25 – Worshippers praying peacefully in a church in Kwara State were violently disrupted, with some killed and about 38 abducted. A place of worship, meant to be a sanctuary, became a scene of fear.
6. 18/11/25 – A disturbing crisis unfolded at the PDP Wadata Plaza headquarters. Instead of de-escalation, elements within the security agencies worsened the situation and further instigated it. Rather than focusing on protecting citizens, the government watched with amusement, encouraging the destruction of political parties and the weakening of our democracy.
7. 18/11/25 – During the All Nigeria Judges’ Conference, judges who should embody neutrality and integrity were seen standing as the APC partisan song “On Your Mandate WeShall Stand” played ahead of the President’s address. This troubling moment further eroded public trust in institutions expected to protect the rule of law.
8. 19/11/25 – Soldiers heading to rescue the Kebbi State abducted schoolgirls were ambushed, showing once again how undersupported our security forces have become.
9. 21/11/25 – Nigerians awoke to the devastating news that over 300 schoolchildren and 12 teachers were abducted from a Catholic school in Niger State.
10.22/11/25 – Bandits opened fire on farmers in Kaduna killing one of them.
23/11/25- Terrorists Ambush, Gun Down 5 Police Officers, Injure 2 in Sabon Sara, Darazo LGA, Bauchi State
November 23, 2025
And just as I was speaking about this, I received yet another devastating report about the abduction of 13 female farmers in Askira-Uba LGA of Borno State today by suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP Terrorists.
No serious nation survives on excuses, indifference, or absentee leadership. What we are witnessing is not inevitable, it is the direct consequence of we the leaders not valuing human life. Nigeria is bleeding because those elected to protect the nation have chosen comfort over courage, politics over people, and power over purpose.
We the leaders must remember that governance is not a title, it is a duty to protect every child, every community, and every citizen. We need competence, compassion, and a government that shows up when it matters the most.
To every Nigerian shaken in these past 10 days, my heart is with you.
You deserve safety, you deserve peace.
We deserve a government that values our lives above politics.
Nigeria must rise again.
A New Nigeria is POssible.
– PO”