Nigerians Have Become Refugees In Their Own Country— Peter Obi Laments

The 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has decried the worsening security situation in Nigeria, saying millions of citizens have become refugees within their own country due to persistent violence and displacement.

In a statement issued on Saturday to mark the observance of World Refugee Day, Obi said the growing number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) across Nigeria reflects the country’s inability to protect its citizens from terrorism, banditry and other forms of violent attacks.

“Today is World Refugee Day. Yet, millions of Nigerians have become refugees in their own country,” Obi said.

He lamented that several communities, particularly in Northern Nigeria and other troubled regions, had been uprooted by insecurity, with displacement camps becoming “a painful symbol of our national failure to protect our people.”

According to him, many IDP camps remain grossly underfunded and lack adequate facilities to cater to the thousands of people seeking refuge there.

“Families struggle daily for food, healthcare, education and basic dignity. For many, survival has become their only reality,” he stated.

The former Anambra State governor further expressed concern over the continued attacks on schools and farming communities, noting that children are still being abducted while families are forced to flee their homes.

“Children are abducted from schools. Families are forced to flee their homes. Farmers abandon their lands. Citizens live in fear of kidnapping and violence,” Obi said.

He warned that the worsening security challenges have diminished the hopes of many displaced persons ever returning to their ancestral homes to rebuild their lives.

“Worse still, with insecurity continuing to spread and intensify, there is little hope for many displaced Nigerians to return to their communities and rebuild their lives safely. This is not OK,” he added.

Obi urged Nigerians and the government to remember the human cost of the country’s displacement crisis, stressing that every statistic represents lives disrupted and families torn apart.

“On this World Refugee Day, we must remember that behind every statistic is a human life disrupted, a family uprooted, and a future put on hold. Nigerians deserve safety, dignity and the right to live peacefully in their own country,” he said.