ABUJA, Nigeria – Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has issued a stark warning following the United States government’s decision to evacuate its embassy staff from Nigeria over escalating insecurity, calling the development a “national emergency” and a devastating blow to investor confidence.
In a statement posted on X, Obi, who ran as the Labour Party candidate in 2023, described the U.S. directive as a “clear signal of declining confidence” in Nigeria’s security architecture.
“The recent directive by the United States to evacuate its embassy staff from Nigeria due to rising insecurity is deeply worrisome and should be treated as a national emergency, especially for a country already struggling to attract investors,” Obi wrote.
His comments came on the same day reports emerged of yet another military loss: a Nigerian Army Brigadier General reportedly killed by terrorists in Borno State. Nigeria currently ranks fourth on the Global Terrorism Index, yet Obi argued that insecurity is still worsening, with lives lost daily and communities living under constant threat.
Obi did not spare the political class, accusing leaders of behaving “like Nero” while the nation burns. “As Nigeria deteriorates, we as leaders remain preoccupied with politics, forgetting that without security, there is no nation to govern and no future to campaign for,” he said.
The former Anambra State governor stressed that the primary duty of any government is the protection of lives and property, a duty he said Nigerian leaders have failed in for years. That failure, he added, places “immense strain on our troops, who make the ultimate sacrifices.”
Concluding his missive with his trademark optimism, Obi wrote: “A New Nigeria is Possible. – PO.” But he warned that without urgent action on security, that new Nigeria may never arrive.
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