PeterObi
Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2027 election, Peter Obi, has urged Nigerians to reject the growing tendency to associate crime with particular ethnic groups, insisting that criminality should be treated as an individual, not communal, responsibility.
In a message posted on his X handle on Monday, Obi cautioned against what he described as the dangerous ethnicization of crime, warning that stereotyping entire communities based on the actions of a few criminals threatens national unity and social cohesion.
The former Anambra State governor specifically appealed for fairness in public discourse surrounding insecurity, noting that many innocent Fulani citizens have become victims of collective blame because of the activities of bandits and terrorists operating in parts of the country.
According to him, ethnic profiling not only misrepresents law-abiding citizens but also deepens divisions at a time when Nigerians should be united against criminality.
Drawing from his own experience, Obi said he understands the consequences of ethnic stereotyping, recalling that many Nigerians, including Igbos, have at various times been judged based on assumptions tied to their origins rather than their personal conduct.
He argued that criminal acts should never be used to define an entire ethnic nationality, stressing that terrorists, kidnappers and bandits are criminals whose actions should be attributed solely to them.
“Crime has no ethnicity. A thief is a thief. A kidnapper is a kidnapper. A terrorist is a terrorist. They are criminals and should be treated as such,” Obi stated.
Referencing the civil rights struggle in the United States, he noted that societies make progress when people are judged by their character and actions rather than by inherited identities such as ethnicity, race or religion.
Obi further warned that the persistent portrayal of crime through ethnic lenses fuels prejudice, encourages hatred and creates fertile ground for political manipulation by those seeking to profit from division.
He called on Nigerians to celebrate the country’s diversity and rich cultural heritage while working together to build a society founded on justice, mutual respect and equal opportunity.
The former governor maintained that the fight against insecurity would be more effective when citizens focus on identifying and confronting criminals instead of stigmatizing entire communities.
He added that the vision of a better Nigeria can only be achieved when no citizen is condemned because of tribe, religion or place of birth.