Obasanjo Condemns Government’s Inability To Protect Lives

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has weighed in on the worsening security situation across Nigeria, delivering a blunt warning to the current administration over its handling of the crisis.

Speaking during an interview on News Central, Obasanjo declared that any government unable to guarantee the safety of its citizens and their property ultimately loses its legitimacy to govern.

His remarks come against the backdrop of rising insecurity across several parts of the country, including violent attacks, banditry, and communal clashes that have continued to claim lives and displace thousands of Nigerians.

He said: “Let me tell you, the government that cannot give security of life and property of its citizen has no right of existence.

“The elected members of our National Assembly have no right to fix their own salary and their own emolument.

“It’s not in our constitution for them to do that.

“It’s the revenue mobilization and allocation commission that should do it.”

Obasanjo, who governed Nigeria from 1999 to 2007, has long been a vocal critic of successive administrations on matters of governance and national security.

His latest comments reflect a growing frustration among Nigerians who feel that the government has failed to adequately respond to the escalating wave of violence threatening lives and livelihoods across the country.

Beyond the security concerns, the former president also took aim at the National Assembly, questioning the legality of lawmakers setting their own salaries and allowances.

He argued that such powers are constitutionally vested in the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, not the legislators themselves, a practice he clearly views as a breach of constitutional order.

His remarks have reignited public debate over accountability, governance, and the responsibilities of elected officials in Nigeria.