Nigeria’s worsening security crisis has again taken center stage after former presidential candidate Peter Obi declared that recent attacks across the country only reinforce former U.S. President Donald Trump’s stinging description of Nigeria as a “now disgraced nation.”
Obi made the remark on Wednesday in a strongly worded statement posted on X, where he reacted to the abduction of female students in Kebbi State and the killing of senior military officers in Borno State. According to him, the grim events unfolding across the nation are too glaring to deny, and Nigerians must confront the truth head-on.
He wrote, “A few weeks ago, when President Trump described our country as ‘now disgraced,’ many were outraged. Yet, how can we dispute it when, within a single week, 25 people were kidnapped, and one of our generals along with other officers was killed?”
The former Anambra governor’s comments followed a horrifying attack on Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, where armed men stormed the premises in the early hours of Monday. The attackers killed the school’s vice principal and abducted 25 female students, sparking nationwide outrage and yet another debate about the state of national security.
The tragedy deepened when news emerged of the killing of Brigadier General Musa Uba, who had initially been declared safe after an ISWAP ambush along the Damboa–Biu road in Borno State. The terror group later released photos confirming his death, adding to the tension already gripping the region.
Obi blamed the escalating insecurity on what he described as unnecessary political distractions and internal turmoil within major political parties. Instead of a unified national focus on safety and stability, he said the nation is drowning in avoidable conflicts and power struggles.
“Rather than uniting in this critical moment, we are consumed by internal wrangling, party squabbles, and distractions,” he lamented, referencing crises within the PDP, Labour Party, SDP, and several other political platforms. He alleged that these divisions were “deliberately orchestrated by a government that should be embracing everyone so we can unite in this troubling period.”
Drawing a contrast with the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s administration, Obi recalled how the former leader insisted on stability across all political parties, not just the ruling party. He said Yar’Adua had warned then-INEC Chairman Maurice Iwu against actions that might destabilize any party, recognizing that a functional democracy thrives on strong opposition and balanced political institutions.
“What we witness today is the opposite,” Obi continued. “The current government seems more intent on weakening parties than strengthening our democracy.”
He concluded by stressing that in genuine democracies, opposition is not only respected but is a vital element that ensures collective governance, peace, and national prosperity.
As the country continues to grapple with rising insecurity and political tension, Obi’s comments have reignited conversations about leadership, unity, and Nigeria’s path forward in the face of deepening instability.
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