….SAYS NIGERIA “BLEEDING FROM LEADERSHIP FAILURE”
Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, has expressed deep concern over the rising wave of insecurity and institutional decay witnessed across Nigeria in the past 10 days, describing the situation as a product of failed leadership rather than fate.
In a strongly worded statement on Sunday, Obi questioned whether Nigeria was “cursed” or if the nation had “become its own curse,” noting that the spate of kidnappings, killings, and institutional weaknesses paints a troubling picture of a country adrift without competent or compassionate governance.
Obi said the period has been marked by “unprecedented negative news” that should trouble the conscience of leaders and citizens alike, lamenting that the nation has drifted into avoidable disorder despite being blessed with resilient and hardworking people.
A Catalogue of Tragedies
Obi highlighted a series of major security breaches and institutional incidents recorded between November 11 and November 23, 2025:
11 November: Six senior directors of the Ministry of Defence were kidnapped along the Kogi axis, raising alarms that even key security personnel were not safe.
15 November: A Brigadier General was killed in what Obi described as a brutal attack that further signaled the vulnerability of security operatives.
16 November: Sixty-four civilians were abducted in Zamfara State, with several fatalities.
17 November: Twenty-five schoolgirls were kidnapped in Kebbi State, while their Vice Principal was killed.
18 November: Worshippers in Kwara State were attacked during church service, with deaths recorded and about 38 people abducted.
18 November: A crisis at the PDP Wadata Plaza was escalated by security operatives, which Obi said exposed a growing trend of political intimidation and erosion of democratic norms.
18 November: At the All Nigeria Judges’ Conference, judges were seen standing as a partisan APC song played before the President’s arrival, a development Obi said undermines public trust in the judiciary.
19 November: Soldiers on a mission to rescue abducted Kebbi schoolgirls were ambushed.
21 November: Over 300 students and 12 teachers were abducted from a Catholic school in Niger State.
22 November: Armed bandits attacked farmers in Kaduna, killing one.
23 November: Five police officers were killed and two injured in an ambush in Bauchi State.
23 November: Thirteen female farmers were reportedly abducted in Borno State by suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists.
“No Serious Nation Survives on Excuses”
Obi said the escalating crises underscored a tragic failure of leadership at all levels.
He insisted that the situation was not inevitable but the outcome of leaders who “do not value human life” and have chosen “comfort over courage, politics over people, and power over purpose.”
“No serious nation survives on excuses, indifference, or absentee leadership,” he stated. “Nigeria is bleeding because those elected to protect the nation have failed to show up when it matters most.”
He called on leaders to recommit themselves to governance as a duty, not a title, stressing the need for competence, compassion, and a responsive approach to national security and public welfare.
A Message to Nigerians
To citizens shaken by the recent tragedies, Obi expressed solidarity, saying:
“You deserve safety, you deserve peace. We deserve a government that values our lives above politics.”
Reiterating his optimism despite the grim situation, he concluded that “A New Nigeria is Possible.”
