Former Anambra State governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has expressed concern over the continued captivity of abducted schoolchildren in Oyo State and other parts of the country.
He described the situation as a national disgrace.
In a statement released on Children’s Day, Obi said his heart remained “heavy and troubled” despite the celebration of Nigerian children, noting that some abducted children had remained in kidnappers’ custody for years.
According to him, it was shameful that “days, weeks, months, and even years” had passed while some children continued to languish in captivity, with their photographs still making rounds on social media.
Obi said the inability of the country to protect its children from criminals reflects the collapse of school safety and insecurity across the nation.
“A nation that cannot protect its children from criminals has little but shame to present to the global community,” he stated.
The former presidential candidate further lamented that many parents had been left devastated and helpless over the continued suffering of their children.
“No parent can bear the shame of being unable to protect his or her children, yet here we are as a nation, moving on while our children continue to suffer in forests and captivity for years,” Obi added.
