Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has strongly condemned the reported abduction of candidates of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in Benue State, describing the incident as both heartbreaking and a reflection of leadership failure.
In a statement shared via his 𝕏 (formerly Twitter) account, Obi expressed deep concern over the safety of young Nigerians seeking education, warning that continued insecurity poses a grave threat to the nation’s future.
He stressed that a country that fails to protect its youth risks undermining its long-term development.
 “We cannot afford to lose even one more student to violence. A nation that abandons its youth abandons its future,” he stated.
The former governor of Anambra State lamented that students striving for academic advancement are increasingly confronted with insecurity and violence, instead of support and protection.
Obi further criticised what he described as misplaced priorities among those in leadership, accusing them of focusing more on political power and electoral ambitions than on safeguarding lives.
“Those entrusted with protecting these young students appear increasingly preoccupied with the next election… rather than deploying that same power… to secure our roads, prevent these crimes, and rescue the abducted children,” he added.
Highlighting the already low rate of tertiary education attainment in Nigeria, Obi noted that the country cannot afford further setbacks caused by insecurity. He compared Nigeria’s statistics; estimated at about one per cent, with higher figures in countries like Indonesia and South Africa.
Describing the situation as a growing national crisis rather than an isolated incident, Obi called for urgent and decisive action from authorities.
“This is no longer an isolated tragedy. It is a pattern. It is a national crisis. And it demands urgent, decisive, and responsible action,” he said.
The incident has further intensified concerns over the safety of students and the broader state of security across parts of the country.
