Nigeria Is A Crime Scene — Obi Reacts To ₦7tr Budget Scandal
Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has condemned the discovery of over ₦7 trillion worth of fraudulent projects in the 2025 budget, describing Nigeria as a “relentless crime scene.”
Obi’s reaction followed a report by civic tech group BudgIT, which exposed thousands of suspicious and inflated projects embedded in the national budget.
In a statement shared on his official X handle, on Wednesday, Obi said, “I have consistently maintained that for this country to make progress, Nigeria must cease to function as a crime scene and be repositioned for genuine development. This entrenched corruption—persistent and deeply rooted—must be nipped in the bud if there is to be any meaningful turnaround.”
He noted that the fraudulent ₦7 trillion allocation exceeds the total budget of four critical ministries—Education, Health, Humanitarian Affairs, and Agriculture—which received a combined ₦6.896 trillion.
“It is even more than the ₦6.1 trillion allocated to national security—at a time when Nigeria is one of the most terrorised countries in the world,” Obi added.
He lamented that the widespread corruption is depriving Nigerians of basic services, worsening the country’s education, health, and food systems.
“We are facing an education crisis with nearly 20 million out-of-school children. Malnutrition is rampant due to failing healthcare. The agriculture sector is neglected. Security is underfunded. These are all symptoms of a nation crippled by mismanagement and fiscal recklessness,” he said.
Obi called for urgent reforms and transparency in managing public funds.
“These glaring acts of corruption reinforce my position: Nigeria has been reduced to a crime scene. We must confront this with unwavering resolve. A new Nigeria is possible,” he stated.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
