‘No Country Progresses When Citizens Live in Fear’ — Peter Obi Reacts To Zamfara Attack

Peter Obi has condemned the latest bombing in Zamfara State, describing the attack as heartbreaking and a grim reminder of Nigeria’s worsening security crisis.

In a statement posted on his official X handle on Sunday, the former Labour Party presidential candidate said he received the news of the Zamfara bombing only hours after it occurred, noting that it came just days after a similar attack in Borno State, at a time when families should have been “gathered in peace, celebrating life and hope.”

Obi said the repeated attacks reflect a disturbing pattern of insecurity that Nigerians have gradually been forced to accept as normal, despite what he described as repeated assurances from government authorities.

According to him, “this incident is part of a troubling pattern of insecurity that has become far too normal across our country,” adding that it is deeply worrying that such violence persists in spite of government promises.

He stressed that the safety of citizens must be restored as a top national priority, arguing that Nigeria cannot defeat insecurity without confronting the social and economic conditions that sustain it.

Obi pointed to poverty, unemployment and the collapse of local businesses as key drivers of violence, warning that when citizens feel abandoned, “desperation and crime thrive.”

Linking security to economic productivity, he said a peaceful nation cannot exist without opportunities for its people, insisting that “a secure Nigeria cannot emerge without a productive Nigeria—one that creates opportunities, restores trust, and lifts citizens out of poverty.”

The former Anambra State governor extended his condolences to victims and affected communities in Zamfara and Borno, saying, “my deepest condolences go out to you all,” and noting that their pain is shared by millions of Nigerians exhausted by recurring acts of terror that should have been addressed long ago.

Calling for a shift in leadership approach, Obi urged the country to move beyond excuses and embrace what he described as competence, compassion and accountability.

He warned that national progress remains impossible as long as citizens live in fear, declaring that “no country can progress when its citizens live in fear.”