Peter Obi condemns abduction of UTME candidates in Benue, cites deepening insecurity

Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has condemned the abduction of Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination UTME candidates in Benue State, calling it a reflection of deepening insecurity and a serious indictment of leadership failure. In a post on his verified X handle, Obi described the incident as heartbreaking and lamented that young Nigerians seeking education are increasingly exposed to violence, which he warned poses a grave threat to the country's future. He stated that Nigeria cannot afford to lose more students to violence, emphasizing that a nation abandoning its youth abandons its future. Obi also highlighted Nigeria's low rate of tertiary education attainment, noting it is far below comparable countries like Indonesia and South Africa, making such incidents unacceptable. He criticized authorities for prioritizing political interests over citizen safety, accusing them of being preoccupied with elections and projecting power to rig them rather than securing roads and rescuing abducted children. Obi described the abduction as part of a troubling pattern and a national crisis, calling for urgent, decisive action to address insecurity nationwide.