Peter Obi Questions Whether Nigeria Faces Divine Curse Or Leadership Failures Threaten National Stability Daily

 

Peter Obi, former presidential candidate and prominent political figure, has expressed deep concern over the escalating wave of insecurity across Nigeria, raising profound questions about the nation’s current state. Obi asked whether Nigeria itself is cursed or whether Nigerians have become the architects of their own misfortune through failed leadership. The statement comes in response to a harrowing series of violent events that have occurred across the country in the past ten days, shaking citizens and institutions alike.

Obi’s remarks point directly at leadership failure as the root cause of the chaos engulfing the country. He argued that no serious nation can endure on a foundation of excuses, indifference, or absentee leadership. According to him, Nigeria’s current turmoil is not a product of fate or misfortune, but rather the cumulative result of leaders prioritizing comfort over courage, politics over people, and power over purpose.

The former presidential candidate highlighted a distressing sequence of attacks that illustrate the dangerous reality Nigerians are facing. On November 11, 2025, six senior directors from the Ministry of Defence were kidnapped along the Kogi axis, signaling that even those charged with safeguarding the nation are vulnerable. Four days later, a senior military officer, a Brigadier General, was executed in a manner described as brutal, sending a clear warning of the insecurity that pervades both civilian and military spheres.

Further alarming incidents included the abduction of 64 civilians, including women and children, in Zamfara on November 16. This tragic attack claimed innocent lives and left families devastated. The following day, 25 schoolgirls were kidnapped in Kebbi, and their Vice Principal was killed, marking yet another grim attack on Nigeria’s future generations. November 18 saw worshippers violently disrupted in a church in Kwara State, with at least 38 individuals abducted and some killed, undermining the sanctity of places intended for peace and reflection.

Obi also criticized the handling of political and institutional crises, citing events at PDP Wadata Plaza headquarters, where security agencies reportedly worsened tensions rather than restoring order. The situation, he said, demonstrated a disturbing lack of focus on protecting citizens, instead enabling the erosion of democratic structures. Further complicating public trust, judges at the All Nigeria Judges’ Conference were seen standing while an APC partisan song played during the President’s address, a move that Obi suggested further weakened faith in the neutrality and integrity of institutions.

The crisis continued on November 19 when soldiers heading to rescue abducted schoolgirls in Kebbi State were ambushed, underscoring the persistent vulnerability of security forces tasked with protecting citizens. On November 21, over 300 schoolchildren and 12 teachers were abducted from a Catholic school in Niger State, a horrifying escalation that captured nationwide attention. The violence extended to Kaduna on November 22, where bandits killed a farmer during an attack on local agricultural workers. On November 23, terrorists ambushed police officers in Bauchi State, killing five and injuring two, before another report reached Obi about the abduction of 13 female farmers in Borno State by suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists.

Obi stressed that these incidents reflect more than isolated tragedies; they signal the consequences of leadership that fails to prioritize the protection of citizens. He emphasized that governance is not merely a title but a duty to safeguard the lives of every child, every community, and every citizen. The ongoing insecurity, according to Obi, is a direct result of a government that neglects human life and public safety in favor of personal or political gain.

Offering a message of solidarity, Obi extended his condolences and empathy to all Nigerians affected by these violent events. He reaffirmed the right of every citizen to live in safety and peace and called for the establishment of competent, compassionate governance that responds decisively in times of crisis. The former candidate concluded with a hopeful vision, asserting that a new and better Nigeria is not only possible but necessary for the well-being of its people.

Peter Obi’s reflections serve as a stark reminder of the link between leadership and national stability. The recurring pattern of abductions, attacks, and institutional failures underscores a critical question for Nigeria: Are the nation’s challenges a result of fate, or is the country suffering from the consequences of its leadership choices? With the recent spate of violence, Obi’s plea for courageous, people-focused leadership resonates as a call to action for both current and future leaders tasked with protecting Nigeria and its citizens.