Former Anambra State Governor and 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has warned that insecurity in Nigeria has reached an “existential level,” stressing that the nation cannot make progress unless urgent steps are taken to restore safety and stability.
In a statement on Thursday, Obi lamented the devastating impact of insecurity on Nigerians, describing it as a crisis that has displaced millions, crippled businesses, and eroded the country’s future.
“Insecurity is now at an existential level in Nigeria. It’s now extremely difficult to move forward without dealing with it. It has affected our people, affected businesses and farms and displaced Nigerians from their homes,” Obi said.
Citing a United Nations report, he noted that as of 2025, Nigeria has over 3.6 million internally displaced persons (IDPs). “This is huge for a country not even at war. These are men, women, and children who have been forced to flee their homes because their communities are no longer safe,” he stressed.
Obi expressed concern that killings, abductions, kidnappings, and banditry have become daily occurrences. He referenced Amnesty International’s recent warning that the Nigerian government was “emboldening bandits through its stunning failure to protect citizens,” which, he said, had worsened insecurity over the past two years.
“The economic cost of insecurity is staggering,” Obi added. “According to the Global Terrorism Index, Nigeria ranks among the 10 most terrorised nations in the world. Investors are fleeing, local businesses are collapsing, tourism has become non-existent, farmers cannot farm, traders cannot trade or transport goods, and children cannot go to school, increasing the number of the already 20 million out-of-school children in the country who cannot get an education.”
He urged the Federal Government to channel excess revenues into securing the country and investing in critical sectors of development. “Now that our government boasts of excess revenues, we must prioritise investing in critical areas of development, ensuring security is at the core, so these sectors can thrive,” Obi said.
The Labour Party leader concluded with a call to action: “We must act now. A secure Nigeria will not only give our people peace but also unlock the enormous productivity potential of our country. Without securing Nigeria, there can be no sustainable future. The safety of Nigerians must now come first. A New Nigeria is POssible.”
