Peter Obi echoed these sentiments, expressing alarm at what he views as a dangerous shift in the national conscience.
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Rising Abduction Rates: Obi highlighted that in just three years of the current administration, Nigeria has recorded over ten school abductions, a frequency he compared to the eight-year period under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
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Erosion of Standards: Obi questioned whether Nigerians have become "so accustomed to insecurity" that tragedies which once sparked national and international outrage are now treated as routine. He warned that this perceived apathy, compounded by economic hardship and leadership failure, is causing irreparable damage to Nigeria’s global reputation.
Background on the Abductions
The criticism follows several weeks of anxiety over the safety of pupils and teachers across the country:
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Oyo State: On May 15, 2026, armed gunmen raided two rural communities—Yawota and Esiele—in the Oriire Local Government Area, abducting students and teachers during coordinated attacks.
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Borno State: On the same day, suspected Boko Haram militants attacked the community of Mussa in Askira-Uba, abducting 42 schoolchildren and residents.
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Public Outcry: Tensions peaked on May 27, 2026, when the First Lady’s Children’s Day message faced intense backlash on social media platform X. Critics accused the administration of being "disconnected" from the reality of families whose children remain in captivity, arguing that the celebration of the day ignored the plight of the abducted victims.
Both Atiku and Obi have called for an immediate shift in focus, urging the government to prioritize intelligence-driven security operations to secure the safe release of the captives.
