Ex President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Warning on Nigeria’s Insecurity and the Rot Behind It

Photo by Meshack Emmanuel Kazanshyi

Recently, former President of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo stood up and spoke plainly about the insecurity problem in Nigeria—the kidnappings, the shootings, and the violence. He declared that lives are being lost every day, and that it doesn’t matter what religion or tribe you belong to—every Nigerian life counts, and no ethnic or religious excuse can explain away the bloodshed.

He reminded us that security is the first duty of government: protecting people, their lives, and their property. But right now our government seems unable to do that.

He urged our leaders to act. He said that with modern tools—satellites and drones—we have the capacity to detect, locate, and stop criminals. So the question is: why aren’t we using them? Who is benefiting from this?

He went even further: if our own government cannot ensure our safety, Nigerians have every right to call on the international community to help. Saving lives must be the priority, not excuses, not silence.

That speech stirs many memories. Because when Obasanjo held power, some things were done—there were efforts to stabilize, security operations, and attempts at national unity. Maybe not perfect, just like any other government. But some things moved. He never negotiated with tourists, we never took nonsense from any of these bombers, the country was calm, and he acted fast.

Now I see a different Nigeria: one where invisible hands seem to profit from chaos. It’s not just insecurity. There’s talk about illegal mining, exploitation of mineral resources by foreign bodies, smuggling, and corruption—all under the watch of powerful people who benefit from it.

Some accuse parts of our elite—politicians, ex-generals, those once entrusted with trust—of letting foreign interests plunder our land. Illicit mining deals that steal from communities, destroy land, and poison lives. These people want to chase everyone from those areas and gain full control.

If criminals get to decide where rights are protected and when justice is enforced, Nigeria will keep burning—not because of religion or tribe, but greed.

So Obasanjo’s call is more than a speech. You can hear the pain in his voice. If we don’t demand real accountability, real protection:

• The blood of innocent citizens will keep staining our soil.
• Our natural resources will keep disappearing—for the benefit of a greedy few.
• And the country we love will drift further into fear, turmoil, and ruin.

If Nigeria once had hope under leaders who sought to protect its people, then we must reclaim that hope now. We must demand responsibility. We must refuse to accept excuses.

He also said that Nigeria has the capability to take these people out. Some Nigerian soldiers have said the same—that they have the tools to end this within 24 hours. But there’s always an order from above telling them not to shoot or fight, even while these men keep killing innocent people. Just this week they kidnapped more people; the most recent was yesterday. One of the worst cases was a pregnant woman and her husband—the kidnappers even made videos and shared them online, demanding money. These people share their locations openly, yet nothing is done.

We have a decayed government. Our country has become a burial ground. Our leaders steal and steal—some never even get to use the money, and some funds are never recovered at all. The level of greed among Nigerian leaders is so deep it could break anyone who tries to study it. What do you do with stolen billions? How much can one person spend in a lifetime? It’s madness. And then they use the people’s money to oppress the same people they took it from.

Our politicians move with police protection, while the police who should protect ordinary citizens leave them exposed. We keep asking: why does a politician need police escorts? Why does even a local government chairman need armed protection? What deals are they hiding? What are they afraid of? The rot and greed run deep.

The senate president of Nigeria, Mr. Akpabio, acts like every piece of news they bring to him about Nigeria is new to him. 

The late former president of Nigeria, Buhari, oversaw the killing of young Nigerians during the End SARS movement, and not long after leaving office, he died of illness. These leaders will all meet their end one day. They gambled with the lives of the Nigerian people, and history won’t forget it.

Because every life lost, every family shattered, every land destroyed—that’s on those who stayed silent. And until justice is real and protection is more than a promise, we all suffer together. 

Many Nigerians feel that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his vice president are not proving capable of leading the country through this crisis. There are widespread public concerns and rumors about their connections and priorities, especially regarding the Vice President, Shattima. People have been calling for them to step aside if they cannot secure the nation, but the politics of greed run deep. Instead of taking responsibility, they hold on to power, even if the country suffers for it.

This is the speech of the former president of the federal republic of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo.