The former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has raised serious alarm over escalating insecurity in Nigeria, revealing that over 1,000 citizens were killed and thousands more abducted across the country in just the first two months of 2026.
Speaking via his social media handle X on Sunday, Obi described the scale of violence as surpassing that of nations officially at war.
He criticised political leaders for focusing on 2027 election strategies while the lives of ordinary Nigerians were under threat.
“It is profoundly disturbing that while we, the politicians, continue to obsess over the 2027 elections scheming about how to capture, grab, and run the next election the first two months of 2026 have reportedly seen the killing of over 1,000 Nigerians and the abduction of several thousand others,” Obi wrote.
The former Anambra State governor highlighted that the violence is widespread, spanning more than 25 states, including Zamfara, Kwara, Ondo, Kebbi, Edo, Benue, Adamawa, and Plateau.
Attacks by armed bandits and terrorist groups have included mass shootings, kidnappings, village raids, and assaults on worshippers and travelers.
“In over 25 states across all geopolitical zones this year alone, there have been major violent attacks on innocent citizens.
”The scale of bloodshed and the number of deaths in just two months in Nigeria are even worse than what we see in countries officially at war,” Obi added.
Obi, who is also a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), expressed dismay that while leaders debated power-sharing and political structures, Nigerians were busy sharing funeral programmes for loved ones lost to violence.
He urged authorities to prioritise human life over political calculations.
“We debate power sharing while citizens are sharing funeral programmes.
”I watched in tears yesterday as families in the Doruwa Babuje community in Plateau State buried their dead after attacks by armed terrorists, but our media and leaders were focused on discussions about party issues and the 2027 elections,” Obi lamented.
He further stressed: “Leadership is not about winning elections; it is about saving lives.
”We must elevate human life to a sacred status in our national priorities.
”History will not remember how many strategies we perfected for 2027; it will remember whether we acted when Nigerians were dying. We must put Nigerians first.”
The warning from Obi comes amid growing concern over deteriorating security across Nigeria, where communities continue to face attacks from insurgents, bandits, and other criminal networks, leaving scores dead and displacing thousands more.
The former governor’s statement serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for effective interventions to protect citizens before the country turns its focus entirely toward the next electoral cycle.
