Former President Obasanjo said, any Government that Fails to Ensure the Security of Lives/Properties, Shouldn’t Exist

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has issued a stark warning on the state of governance in Nigeria, declaring that any government unable to protect lives and property effectively loses its legitimacy. His remarks, delivered in April 2026, reflect growing public anxiety as insecurity continues to disrupt daily life across communities.

While some analysts and security agencies say, Nigeria’s expanding insecurity, is increasingly linked to persistent financing of insurgents across Nigeria, on the other hand, diverse anxieties about the durability of counterterrorism efforts and the broader impact on economic/social stability, is on a fast rise.

Speaking against the backdrop of rising attacks and displacement, Obasanjo argued that security is not an abstract duty, but an existed reality for the ordinary Nigerians; like most farmers that are unable to tend their land, traders facing unsafe transport routes, families forced from their homes, travelers not getting to their destinations, tourist scared from visiting Nigeria, and so on. He said, when these basic protections fail, the social contract between citizens and the state begins to erode.

Groups such as Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province, Lakurawa and the diverse offshoot of the kidnapping evil-sector, etc., have sustained operations over the years, largely due to diversified and web-spread funding streams. These include politically-engineered fundings, ransom payments from kidnappings, illegal mining, extortion of local communities and suspected global financial support networks. In this stead, some security experts have noted that the monetization of violence has entrenched a cycle in which criminality and insurgency reinforce each other. In most of the Nigeria regions, bandit groups, often loosely connected to extremist factions, have adopted similar funding models, turning rural economies into conflict zones and disrupting agricultural production.

He described the country’s security trajectory as a steady decline “from bad to worse”, warning against normalising violence and instability. Farther from the immediate human toll, the former president pointed to a wider economic consequences, such as reduced agricultural output, shrinking local businesses and declining investors’ confidence. In many rural areas, insecurity has cut off livelihoods, expanding poverty and widening inequality.

The human toll remains severe. Thousands have been displaced across northern/central/south-western Nigeria regions, with communities facing loss of livelihoods, limited access to education and strained healthcare systems. Farmers, in particular, have been forced off their land, contributing to food insecurity and rising prices in urban markets. Economically, the insecurity has deterred investment, slowed infrastructure development and increased government spending on defense, at the expense of social services. Key transport corridors and trade routes have become vulnerable, complicating domestic commerce and regional trade.

However, despite the intensified efforts of the authorities to track and disrupt terror financing, including closer scrutiny of financial institutions and cross-border transactions, enforcement challenges persist, particularly in remote areas with limited state presence and porous borders.

Obasanjo attributed the situation to what he called – weak and ineffective leadership, suggesting that the federal government appears overstretched in confronting complex security threats. He also generally criticised governance practices, including lawmakers’ decisions on their own remuneration and the continued struggles of state-owned refineries, which are issues that he linked to public trust and accountability.

Some analysts argue that addressing the security crisis, will require more than military action. Strengthening financial intelligence systems, improving regional cooperation, and tackling underlying issues such as poverty and governance gaps, are seen as critical to cutting off the flow of funds that sustain these armed groups and prolong instability.

Looking outward, Olusegun Obasanjo argued that when a government is unable to guarantee the safety of its citizens, seeking for international support becomes a legitimate course of action. He also raised concerns over the limited or non-use of modern security tools, such as surveillance systems and drone technology, in confronting the criminal networks across the wild-expanse of Nigerian forest/desertic landmass; warning that reliance on negotiations with terrorist/bandit groups, risks emboldening them.

The former President’s comments, resonate further than politics to numerous Nigerians. Obasanjo’s remarks, speak to the everyday concerns about safety, means of livelihood, the future, etc., raising urgent enquiries about how the country can restore security, rebuild trust in institutions and create conditions where communities can live and work without fear.