The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Peter Obi, has declared that his administration will aggressively track down and pursue kidnappers of schoolchildren into their forest hideouts, insisting he will not be intimidated by criminal elements operating in the country.
Obi made the vow on Wednesday morning, November 4, 2026, while addressing party stakeholders, delegates, and supporters at an NDC presidential town hall meeting held at the Metropolitan Hotel in Calabar, Cross River State.
​Addressing the severe security challenges confronting the nation, the former Anambra State governor asserted that Nigeria could no longer tolerate recurring abductions of young students and innocent citizens.
He assured the crowd that under his administration, security forces would actively flush out bandits from their encampments, stating unequivocally, “Under our watch, anybody that kidnaps schoolchildren and goes into that bush, we will be in that bush with him, wherever it is. We are not scared of him.”
​Highlighting the defense capabilities of his joint ticket, Obi noted that his running mate, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, brings valuable executive security experience from his past tenure as Minister of Defence, making public safety and national order top priorities for their platform.
To demonstrate his personal commitment to safe national travel, Obi recounted his recent extensive road trips across several states, including Lokoja, Akwanga, and Ebonyi, emphasizing that securing Nigeria’s highways so citizens can travel freely without fear remains an urgent imperative.
​Expanding on his broader governance agenda, the NDC flagbearer promised to collaborate directly with state governments to deliver free basic primary education, tackle public sector corruption by ensuring public funds serve public interests, and aggressively scale up national electricity generation, transmission, and distribution to a minimum of 10,000 megawatts.
The town hall event concluded with remarks from NDC campaign spokespersons and regional leaders, who collectively reaffirmed the party’s dedication to child safety, educational development, and rule-of-law governance across all states.
