Nigerians can seek foreign help if govt fails, says obasanjo
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has declared that Nigerians have every right to turn to the international community for protection if their own government cannot keep them safe.
Speaking at the 2025 Plateau Unity Christmas Carol in Jos, Obasanjo — who attended as a special guest of the Plateau State Government — said citizens should feel no guilt in seeking outside assistance when the state fails in its basic duty.
“If our government cannot do it, we have the right to call on the international community to do for us what our government cannot do, and we should have no apology for that,” he said.
He questioned why criminals are still able to operate freely despite modern surveillance technology. “With satellites and drones, criminals should not have the freedom to commit crimes and disappear,” he said. “Why are we apologising? Why are we negotiating? The government must stop the killing of Nigerians. We are being killed, we are tired, and we want the killing to stop.”
Obasanjo lamented the worsening state of insecurity in the country, accusing the Federal Government of failing at its most fundamental duty — the protection of citizens. He recalled the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls and said security had “gone from bad to worse” since then.
“The first responsibility of any government is the protection and security of its citizens, but our government seems to be incapable of protecting us,” he added.
He warned against downplaying the killings or turning them into ethnic or religious comparisons. “We Nigerians are being killed — no matter the religion you belong to, no matter where you come from. And for anybody saying that when we are being killed, another group is also being killed, that is nonsensical.”
The Plateau Unity Christmas Carol drew top government officials, religious leaders, traditional rulers, security personnel and thousands of worshippers, who prayed for peace, unity and healing in Plateau State and across Nigeria. The event marked the second edition of the annual ceremony.