Obasanjo Cannot Escape Blame for Today’s Turmoil — Omirhobo

Human rights lawyer Chief Malcolm Emokiniovio Omirhobo has accused former President Olusegun Obasanjo of playing a major role in the structural failures that contributed to Nigeria’s current insecurity.

He said Obasanjo’s recent comments on foreign assistance in tackling terrorism and banditry ignore his own responsibility in creating conditions that now threaten national ststability.

In a statement released to journalists, Omirhobo argued that insecurity did not emerge suddenly but resulted from years of political compromises and constitutional neglect by successive governments. He stressed that Obasanjo’s tenure marked a turning point, especially when 12 northern states adopted Sharia criminal justice systems between 1999 and 2000.

According to him, the former president failed to defend the Constitution which upheld Nigeria as a secular state. Instead of confronting what he described as a breach of the nation’s legal framework, Obasanjo chose not to act and dismissed the situation as a temporary political move that would fade away. “It did not fizzle out,” he stated, insisting that the system instead became entrenched.

Omirhobo said that the consequences of that political decision are still unfolding, citing the rise of extremist ideologies, weakening of federal authority, growing religious division, and the increasing power of non-state armed groups.

He linked today’s widespread terrorism, kidnapping, and rural violence to what he called “a self-serving compromise” made to preserve political ambition.

He maintained that leadership requires courage and sacrifice, accusing Obasanjo of failing to uphold both during a critical period in the country’s democratic journey. He further stated that it is hypocritical for the former president to now position himself as a moral guide on security matters without acknowledging his role in shaping the current reality.

While acknowledging that Nigeria is battling a profound security emergency, Omirhobo said the nation must avoid what he termed historical revisionism. He called for renewed commitment to constitutional supremacy, stronger federal institutions, the dismantling of parallel legal structures, and accountability for past and present leaders.

He concluded that for Nigeria to regain peace and security, all stakeholders must accept their part in the past and work to rebuild systems that ensure justice, unity, and national cohesion.