Taking to his verified X (formerly Twitter) page on Friday, Obi said the incident is not only painful but also shows a serious failure on the part of those in leadership.

He said, “Hearing that innocent UTME candidates were kidnapped in Benue is deeply heartbreaking. It clearly shows how leadership has failed and how badly security has broken down in our country.”

The former governor of Anambra State expressed concern that young Nigerians who are simply trying to further their education are now being exposed to danger, warning that this trend could have serious consequences for the nation’s future.

“We cannot continue like this. Losing even one student to violence is too much. Any country that fails to protect its young people is putting its future at risk,” he added.

Obi also pointed out that Nigeria is already lagging behind when it comes to higher education, stressing that the number of graduates in the country is far lower compared to nations like Indonesia and South Africa.

“In a country where the number of people with tertiary education is already very low compared to others, something like this should never be happening,” he said.

He didn’t hold back in criticising those in power, accusing them of focusing more on politics than on protecting lives.

“Those who are supposed to secure these students seem more focused on the next election—showing power and influence for political gain—rather than using that same energy to make our roads safe and rescue these kidnapped children,” he stated.

Obi described the incident as part of a growing and worrying trend across the country and called for immediate action.

“This is no longer a one-off incident. It’s becoming a pattern—a national crisis. What we need now is urgent and serious action, not excuses or silence, but leadership that truly understands the urgency of the situation,” he concluded.