Obi condemns abduction of UTME candidates in Benue, blames leadership failure

ABUJA — 18 April 2026 (NPA) — Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi has condemned the abduction of candidates sitting the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in Benue State, describing the incident as “utterly heartbreaking” and a reflection of worsening insecurity in the country.

In a statement issued on Friday, Obi, a leading figure in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and a presidential aspirant for the 2027 elections, said young Nigerians seeking education were increasingly being exposed to violence. He noted that the country already has a low proportion of tertiary graduates — about one per cent — compared with countries such as Indonesia and South Africa.

He described the incident as unacceptable, stressing that Nigeria cannot afford to lose more students to insecurity.

Obi criticised authorities responsible for security, accusing them of focusing more on electoral ambitions than on protecting citizens. He said the same level of coordination allegedly used to project political strength should instead be directed towards securing roads, preventing attacks and rescuing abducted students.

The former presidential candidate, known for his “A New Nigeria is Possible” mantra, further described the incident as part of a broader pattern of insecurity, warning that it represents a national crisis requiring urgent and decisive action.

He added that the situation demands leadership commensurate with the scale of the challenge, rather than silence or inaction, warning that a nation that fails to protect its youth risks jeopardising its future.