Mr. Peter Obi, the presidential flag-bearer of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has cautioned against linking crime to ethnicity, warning that the practice fuels division and undermines national unity.
Peter Obi made the statement in a post on his verified X account on Monday, expressing concern about what he described as an increasing trend of judging entire ethnic groups by the actions of a small number of criminals.
According to the former Anambra State governor, he can identify with the challenges faced by Nigerians who have encountered discrimination based on their ethnicity, describing such stereotyping as unjust and counterproductive.
“As an Igbo man, I have endured stereotypes, judgment, and labelling solely based on my ethnic origins. This is not an isolated Igbo experience. Most Nigerians have, at some point, been reduced to their ethnicity rather than recognised for their true character” Peter Obi said.
He maintained that law-abiding Fulani people should not be held responsible for the actions of a few criminals, noting that such broad generalizations are both unfair and misleading.
“I understand the pain of the ordinary Fulani man today, often unfairly judged by the actions of criminals he does not support, has never met, and who are not representative of his people” Obi said.
Obi referenced the U.S. civil rights movement, stating that history has shown how discrimination rooted in identity has been challenged by champions of equal rights and social justice.
“Even in America, such unjust labelling fueled the civil rights movement and prompted Martin Luther King Jr. to declare that people should be judged by the content of their character, not the colour of their skin” he stated.
Mr. Obi stressed that crime is a personal wrongdoing and should not be attributed to any ethnic group.
“Crime has no ethnicity. A thief is a thief. A terrorist is a terrorist. A kidnapper is a kidnapper. They are bad actors, not representatives of any people,” Obi said.
He urged law enforcement agencies to track down, apprehend, and prosecute offenders without attributing their crimes to entire communities.
“We must decisively abandon the dangerous practice of blaming entire ethnic groups for the actions of a few criminals. It is unjust, it breeds hatred, and it damages our national unity” he stated.
He called on Nigerians to appreciate the country’s rich diversity and foster unity by focusing on shared ideals rather than preconceived notions about one another.
“A new Nigeria must emerge—one where no citizen is condemned because of tribe, religion, or birthplace. We can cherish our cultural roots while standing united by justice, mutual respect, and hope for a better future. We are capable of this” he stated.
