Former Cross River governor says years of failed leadership have deepened insecurity and strengthened kidnapping networks across Nigeria.
Former Governor of Cross River State and presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party, Donald Duke, has blamed Nigeria’s worsening insecurity on what he described as years of leadership failure.
Speaking on Wednesday, Duke said the country’s security challenges had deteriorated to a point where kidnappers reportedly received an estimated N2 trillion in ransom payments in 2025 alone.
According to him, the development reflects deeper governance problems that have continued to affect public safety and institutional stability across the country. He argued that insecurity has expanded beyond isolated incidents into a broader national concern tied to failures in leadership and state capacity.
The former governor’s remarks come amid continued concerns over kidnapping, banditry, and violent attacks in several parts of Nigeria. His comments add to ongoing discussions around the effectiveness of current security strategies and the long-term impact of insecurity on citizens and economic activities.
Duke maintained that leadership remains central to reversing the situation, insisting that governance failures over the years contributed significantly to the scale of the crisis currently facing the country.
At the time of filing this report, there was no official government response to his comments.