Nigeria’s Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has condemned the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo, Borno, and other parts of Nigeria, describing it as a sign of worsening insecurity and governance failure.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, Obi called for the immediate release of the victims and appealed directly to their abductors. “Please release these children for the sake of our shared humanity,” Obi stated.
He said he was devastated by their condition. “I am deeply shocked and heartbroken by the condition in which these abducted school children are, as seen from their flagellated bodies. It is a painful reminder of the depth of insecurity in our land.”
He warned that today’s governance failures could have lasting effects. “I have always made it clear that the society we ab¥se today will take its revenge on our children tomorrow. When I first began making that statement, some of these children were not even born,” he said.
He also linked the crisis to national borrowing decisions. “It is on the same line that I argue that the loans our leaders take today will hurt our children in the future, as many of them will mature for repayment and consequences long after we are gone,” Obi said.
Addressing the abductors, he said: “To those holding these children, I make a direct appeal to your conscience. Remember that these are innocent children – sons and daughters of people who have placed their hopes, dreams, and entire future in them. In every one of them, you will find reflections of your own children, your own family, and your own humanity.”
He stressed: “No grievance, no hardship, no justification can ever outweigh the sanctity of a child’s life and innocence. Whatever path has led to this moment, there is still room for remorse, for humanity, and for a change of heart.”
Obi urged their release saying; “I therefore appeal to your sense of mercy: release these children immediately. Let them go. Return them safely to society to reunite with their families.”
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