Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has berated political leaders across the country for allegedly prioritising the 2027 general elections while insecurity continues to claim lives nationwide.
In a statement shared on his official 𝕏 handle yesterday, Obi expressed deep concern over what he described as the alarming scale of violence and bloodshed in the country.
The former Anambra State governor revealed that more than 1,000 Nigerians were reportedly killed within the first two months of 2026, while several thousand were abducted in separate violent attacks. “From Zamfara to Kwara, Ondo, Kebbi, Edo, Benue, Adamawa, Plateau, and many other states, families have buried loved ones, and communities have been emptied by gunshots and fear”, Obi wrote.
He lamented that the grim statistics paint a picture worse than that of some countries officially at war, stressing that the level of insecurity should command immediate and undivided national attention.
Obi criticised political actors for what he termed misplaced priorities, accusing them of focusing on party structures, zoning arrangements, and campaign strategies instead of addressing the bloodshed ravaging communities. “We strategize about 2027 while Nigerians struggle to survive 2026. This is inhumane”, he said.
According to him, the ongoing political permutations ahead of the next election cycle appear disconnected from the harsh realities facing citizens in many parts of the country.
Calling for an urgent shift in national priorities, Obi emphasised that the primary duty of leadership is the protection of human lives and property. “History will not remember how many strategies we perfected for 2027; it will remember whether we acted when Nigerians were dying. We must choose Nigerian lives over politics. We must put Nigerians first”, he added.
Obi’s statement comes amid growing concerns from civil society groups and security analysts over persistent attacks in various states, with calls mounting for stronger security measures and a coordinated government response.
