Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has expressed deep concern over the rising wave of kidnappings and insecurity in Nigeria, attributing the surge to what he termed the deteriorating poverty and hunger in the country.
The latest incident that fueled public outrage occurred on January 5 when gunmen abducted six young girls in the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja. Sadly, last Sunday, one of the kidnapped sisters, Nabeeha, was killed by the abductors, reportedly as a warning to the family for failing to pay a ransom of N60 million.
Taking to his social media handle on Monday, Atiku shared his distress, condemning the unchecked reign of terror by bandits and kidnappers.
In his statement, he highlighted the tragic murder of Nabeeha and, more recently, the killing of Folorunsho Ariyo, a 13-year-old student who was among ten people abducted from Sagwari Estate Layout in Dutse, Bwari Area Council, on January 7th, 2024.
Atiku underscored the direct correlation between the worsening poverty and hunger in the country and the escalating incidents of kidnapping and insecurity, particularly in the nation’s capital, Abuja.
He criticized the government for what he perceived as a failure to fulfill its constitutional duty of protecting citizens’ lives and property, stating that such lapses create an open invitation for criminal elements to operate freely.
The former vice president called for urgent attention from authorities to address the dire security situation, emphasizing the need to regain the trust of the Nigerian people.
Expressing condolences to the families of the deceased, Atiku concluded with a prayer for comfort, eternal peace for the departed, and protection for the nation.
See the full tweet below
“The escalating violence and lawlessness in our nation deeply distresses me as bandits and kidnappers continue their reign of terror unchecked. Our youths and innocent citizens are being murdered daily. Just last Saturday, we lost Nabeeha to her captors.
“Yesterday, the tragedy deepened with the murder of more victims, including Folorunsho Ariyo, a 13-year-old student. Folorunsho was one of ten people kidnapped from Sagwari Estate Layout in Dutse, Bwari Area Council of the FCT, on January 7th, 2024.
“It is obvious that the worsening poverty and hunger in the land is escalating the level of kidnapping and insecurity in Nigeria, particularly in Abuja, the federal capital.
“When the government fails to fulfil its constitutional obligations of protecting the lives and property of citizens, it is an invitation to kidnappers and other criminal elements to have a free rein visiting houses and hotels in and around the capital city, kidnapping citizens without resistance. This is a sad development.
“It is imperative that the authorities address this dire security situation urgently to regain the trust of the Nigerian people.
“While I mourn with the deceased families, I pray to the Almighty to comfort them, grant the dead eternal peace, and protect our nation. -AA