(DDM) — Human rights activist and Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, has launched a scathing attack on Nigeria’s military and political elite, accusing them of prioritizing personal interests over national security.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) noted that Sowore, in a post on his X handle, criticized the military for allegedly using its personnel and resources to guard a piece of land belonging to a senior officer, instead of focusing on its constitutional duty to protect the country’s borders.
According to Sowore, this reflects a wider culture of impunity and self-interest that has corroded Nigeria’s public institutions.
He wrote that the incident demonstrates how the military, once a symbol of national defense, has “degenerated into a tool of elite protectionism,” serving the privileged few while the country faces worsening insecurity across its borders.
The activist further linked the situation to the pattern of abuse of power among political elites, referencing a 2017 incident involving the then-Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike (CON, GSSRS).
Sowore reminded Nigerians of how Wike, during his tenure as governor, allegedly mobilized armed security operatives to prevent officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from arresting a “corrupt judge friend.”
“What a country!” Sowore lamented, arguing that both the military and political class have become deeply entangled in corruption, nepotism, and the protection of their cronies rather than the people they are sworn to serve.
Analysts say Sowore’s statement reflects growing frustration among Nigerians who see a collapse of institutional integrity and an erosion of accountability among those in authority.
Critics have often accused successive administrations of weaponizing state institutions to shield their allies from justice while the masses suffer the consequences of insecurity, economic hardship, and failed governance.
Sowore’s remarks come at a time of heightened tension between civil society groups and government institutions over alleged misuse of power, raising fresh questions about the military’s neutrality and the independence of Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies.
The post has since gone viral on social media, sparking mixed reactions from Nigerians, some praising Sowore’s boldness, others urging restraint and institutional respect.
Still, his statement underscores a fundamental issue many Nigerians continue to raise: that the rot within the system is not about one man or one institution, but a network of privilege protecting itself against accountability.