Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused the Bola Tinubu administration of abandoning the North-Central region to worsening insecurity, describing Kwara State, once regarded as one of the safest parts of the country, as the latest hotspot for banditry and kidnappings.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Atiku said the resurgence of killings across the region highlighted the Federal Government’s failure to safeguard lives and property.
He pointed to recent attacks in Niger State, where militants have targeted military bases, killed soldiers, and massacred worshippers in mosques, while communities in Plateau and Benue States continue to bury victims of recurring assaults.
According to the former presidential candidate, by May this year just two years into Tinubu’s presidency, over 10,000 lives had been lost in the North, with Benue State alone accounting for more than half. He added that mass killings occur on a weekly basis, yet the government behaves as if nothing is amiss.
Atiku also accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of prioritising political battles over national security. He alleged that “thugs, infiltrators, and hired hooligans” had been used to disrupt opposition meetings in Kaduna, Kebbi, and Ogun States, while security agencies looked the other way or even blamed the victims.
He said the APC leadership’s silence amounted to complicity, warning that violence is a vicious cycle that would eventually consume those who employ it.
Atiku further called on the Nigeria Police Force to maintain neutrality, fairness, and loyalty to the constitution, stressing that the institution is funded by taxpayers and not by political parties.
The statement read, “The resurgence of killings in the North-Central shows clearly that the Tinubu administration has abandoned the region to bloodshed. Kwara, once safe, is now a hotspot of bandit and kidnap attacks. Niger State has seen militants attack military bases, murder soldiers, and even massacre worshippers in a mosque. Plateau and Benue continue to bury their dead while the Federal Government looks away.
“By May this year, just two years of Tinubu’s rule, over 10,000 lives had been lost in Northern states, with Benue accounting for more than half. Since then, mass killings continue weekly, while the government pretends nothing is wrong. This is a monumental failure in the basic duty of securing lives and property.
“Instead of fighting insecurity, the ruling APC is fighting the opposition using thugs, infiltrators, and hired hooligans to break up political meetings in Kaduna, Kebbi, and Ogun. In each case, security forces failed to act and even blamed the victims. The silence of the APC leadership is proof of complicity.
“Let it be clear: violence is a vicious circle that will eventually consume those who use it. Any politician who needs violence to win is desperate, unpopular, and dangerous to democracy.
“We remind the Nigeria Police: you are funded by taxpayers, not by the APC. Your duty is to remain neutral, fair, and constitutional. Anything less is betrayal of public trust,” Atiku added.
