BY UCHECHI OKPORIE
A prominent Nigerian human rights advocate and former presidential contender has called on international actors, including U.S. President Donald Trump, to spotlight what he described as a troubling attack on political opposition in Nigeria.
Dr. SKC Ogbonnia, writing from Houston, Texas in a letter dated February 27, 2026, urged Trump to leverage his influence to draw global attention to a failed assassination attempt against Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, which occurred on February 24 in Benin City, Edo State.
According to the letter, gunmen trailed Obi’s convoy from a campaign event and opened fire at the residence of a former state governor, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, narrowly missing Obi but damaging vehicles and property.
Ogbonnia expressed alarm over apparent security gaps and what he sees as an ongoing pattern of intimidation targeting opposition figures.
In his appeal, Ogbonnia called for stronger measures to protect political leaders and defend democratic norms in Nigeria, saying the safety of opposition figures is essential to a credible electoral process.
Addressing Trump as “a voice for millions of Nigerians and Nigerian Americans,” he emphasized the need for international engagement to ensure political violence does not undermine democratic participation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
