See Why Peter Obi Said Nigeria Is a Crime Scene That Needs Urgent Repair

The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has described Nigeria as a “crime scene” in urgent need of repair, citing the country’s worsening insecurity, economic hardship, and lack of responsible leadership.

Speaking during an event in Abuja on Tuesday, June 10, Obi lamented the growing number of Nigerians forced to live like refugees either within internally displaced persons (IDP) camps or in neighboring countries such as Chad and Cameroon.

“Today in Nigeria, we’re not officially at war, yet Nigerians are living in IDP camps in their own country. Nigerians are refugees in Chad, in Cameroon. And the only reason is because we don’t have a government that cares for them,” he said.

Obi warned that the system currently in place is dangerous and unsustainable. “Some people are dancing while the ship is sinking. When it finally goes down, it will consume everyone, rich or poor. I’ve seen this before in places like Beirut and Afghanistan. Crisis does not discriminate,” he cautioned.

The former Anambra governor also condemned the misplaced priorities of government, pointing out that public resources are being spent on office renovations and celebrations, while essential health and education needs go unaddressed.

“We use public resources to paint offices and build mansions, while women die trying to give birth. According to a recent report, one woman dies every seven minutes in Nigeria during childbirth. That’s what we want to dismantle,” he noted.

Obi emphasized that the root of Nigeria’s problems lies in poor leadership and a lack of value creation in governance and business. “Our leaders in government and business are producing poverty. When people hoard money without creating value, they are fueling poverty,” he said.

Commenting on economic reforms, Obi expressed support for the removal of fuel subsidy and currency devaluation but stressed that such actions must be preceded by the elimination of corruption and the restoration of public trust.

“Yes, I support removing fuel subsidy, but only after removing the criminality in the system. If we build confidence in the market and clean up corruption, the naira will stabilize. It’s happening in Ghana and Angola — why not here?” he asked.

Obi’s remarks come amid rising discontent over the state of the nation, with many Nigerians grappling with economic strain, inflation, and a growing sense of insecurity across the country.

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