By Adeola Kunle
Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has strongly criticised the Federal Government over the latest killings in Southern Kaduna, describing the attack in Kauru Local Government Area as further evidence of the country's worsening security crisis.
In a statement issued on Monday, Atiku said the killing of scores of residents reflected the government's inability to fulfil its constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property, insisting that Nigerians deserved far better security than they were currently receiving.
He lamented that innocent citizens continued to lose their lives to armed criminals, warning that no administration could claim meaningful progress while communities remained vulnerable to repeated attacks.
"The reported killing of scores of innocent Nigerians in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State is heartbreaking and unacceptable. Every life lost is a painful indictment of a government that has repeatedly promised security but continues to preside over an expanding landscape of bloodshed," he said.
The former vice president also criticised senior officials of President Bola Tinubu's administration for allegedly concentrating on promoting what he described as an unverified claim of receiving a letter of commendation from the United States Government instead of addressing the country's deepening insecurity.
According to Atiku, any responsible government should place the protection of its citizens above the pursuit of international recognition while communities across Nigeria continue to face violent attacks.
"It is deeply troubling that while Nigerians mourn yet another massacre, senior officials of this administration have been busy criss-crossing television studios and social media platforms brandishing what they describe as an unverified claim of a letter of commendation from the United States Government," he stated.
Drawing a comparison with countries that prioritise public safety, Atiku said Nigerians were not seeking foreign commendations but effective security that would allow them to live, travel and work without fear.
"The people of Southern Kaduna and indeed all Nigerians do not need letters of praise from foreign capitals. They need security. They need to sleep without fear, travel without anxiety, cultivate their farms in peace and raise their children without the constant threat of terrorists, bandits and other violent criminals," he added.
He maintained that the true measure of any government lies in its ability to safeguard the lives of its citizens rather than in public relations efforts or diplomatic endorsements.
"Governance is not a public relations exercise. It is measured by the safety of the people and by a government's ability to protect its citizens from harm. Until that constitutional obligation is fulfilled, every celebration of external praise rings hollow," Atiku said.
Calling for decisive action, the former vice president urged the Federal Government to carry out a comprehensive reform of Nigeria's security architecture. He said repeated condemnations after attacks were no longer enough and advocated intelligence-driven operations, prompt prosecution of those responsible and proactive strategies to prevent future attacks on vulnerable communities.
Atiku also expressed sympathy to the families of those killed and to the people of Southern Kaduna. He urged security agencies to remain vigilant as preparations for the 2027 general election gather pace, warning against any attempt to exploit insecurity for political purposes.
"It is my sincere hope that this horrific massacre was not politically motivated. However, as the nation gradually approaches another political season, the security agencies must not only identify, apprehend and prosecute those responsible for this heinous crime, but must also take anticipatory and pre-emptive measures to strengthen security around vulnerable communities that could become targets of similar attacks," he said.
Concluding his statement, Atiku argued that governments are ultimately judged by how well they protect their citizens during times of crisis.
"History will not remember how many letters of commendation a government claimed to have received. It will remember whether it protected its people when they needed protection the most. Today, the blood of innocent Nigerians speaks far louder than any unverified claim of international praise," he stressed.
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