Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the latest wave of killings in Plateau State.
Atiku, in a statement signed by his media aide, Paul Ibe, stated that the security policy and infrastructure under President Bola Tinubu have failed woefully.
Atiku’s statement followed the deadly attack on Sunday in the Zike community, Kimakpa area of Kwali district in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, where no fewer than 47 people were killed.
The assault came just over a week after a similar massacre in Bokkos LGA, where scores also lost their lives and properties were destroyed.
Atiku also pointed to the rising tide of terrorist violence in Borno State, where recent attacks have led to the loss of lives and territory, as highlighted by both Governor Babagana Zulum and the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-Kanemi.
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He said these developments reflect ‘a woeful failure of both the security policy and infrastructure’ of the Tinubu-led federal government.
He called for urgent and tougher proactive steps to confront what he described as “disgraceful incidents that challenge our national security.”
Atiku expressed deep concern over the frequency and impunity with which terrorists and bandits strike, particularly in Northern Nigeria.
He said the region had become the epicentre of terrorist violence in the country and lamented the delay in prosecuting suspected terrorists who have been in custody since 2016.
“If the government had applied the same energy in the prosecution of terrorists and bandits as it did in the trial of political critics, it would have gone a long way to send a powerful message to the outlaws that there are consequences for mass murder,” Atiku stated.
He urged the Attorney General of the Federation to make the prosecution of terrorists and bandits a top priority and called for the establishment of special courts to expedite their trials.
“Holding terrorists in custody for years without trial is demoralizing to our security forces. It undermines their sacrifices and sends the wrong message that crime pays,” he added.
He also decried the ease with which armed criminal groups cross into Nigeria through its porous borders to carry out attacks, stating that mere condemnation by the government is insufficient.
What is needed, he emphasised, are prompt and decisive actions to prevent further bloodshed.
Atiku further urged the National Assembly to pass legislation that would allow state governments to properly arm their security outfits with modern weapons to support overstretched federal forces.
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While condemning the role of community informants who aid terrorists, Atiku stressed the importance of local cooperation in security operations.
He called on citizens to assist security agencies with intelligence and acknowledged the sacrifices made by Nigerian troops in the fight against terrorism.
“This is a national emergency. Every citizen, especially in affected communities, must play a role in defeating these enemies of our country,” Atiku added.
