In a pointed critique of Nigeria’s leadership amid a wave of nationwide violence, former presidential candidate Peter Obi has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately cut short his two-week “working visit” to France and return home to address the escalating insecurity plaguing the country.
Tinubu departed for France on April 2, with the presidency stating that the trip was intended to assess the administration’s midterm progress and strategize ahead of its second anniversary. But back home, the country has been rocked by a disturbing surge in killings, kidnappings, and militant attacks, particularly in Plateau, Zamfara, and Benue states.
Obi, in a statement shared Wednesday on X (formerly Twitter), criticized Tinubu’s absence at a time of national distress, likening the president to a “retreating CEO” abandoning his post as the nation faces multiple crises.
“I am compelled at this time in our lives as a nation to call on our retreating President’s attention to the security challenges at home,” Obi wrote. “He must immediately suspend his ongoing retreat in a foreign land and return home to confront the overwhelming insecurity across the country.”
Obi claimed more than 150 Nigerians have been killed during Tinubu’s time abroad, citing fresh violence in the North-East, a resurgence of abductions in the South-East, and ongoing unrest in the oil-rich Niger Delta. He noted that Borno state leaders have reported a re-emergence of insurgent activity, while pipeline explosions continue to plague the southern region.
“In the North East, Borno state leaders are bemoaning the return of insurgency with troops and civilians being killed randomly,” Obi stated. “In the South East, the story is the same: killings and abduction.”
He questioned the relevance of the president’s strategic retreat in France, arguing that such planning must be grounded in the urgent realities facing Nigerians daily.
“The fight for a better Nigeria is not about individuals; it is about ensuring that every citizen can see, feel, and benefit from the policies and decisions of those in power,” Obi added. “That fight cannot be led from afar.”
Obi’s remarks reflect a growing frustration among citizens and political leaders over the federal government’s handling of internal security, as Nigerians grapple with a worsening sense of vulnerability.
