Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Tuesday criticised the security approach of President Bola Tinubu following the death of former House of Representatives member Abba Adamu while in kidnappers’ captivity.
Adamu was reportedly kidnapped by bandits along the Abuja-Kaduna highway on May 3 and died in captivity nine days later despite attempts by his family to secure his freedom.
In a statement released in Abuja through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the incident reflected the deteriorating insecurity situation across the country.
The former VP stated that the death of the former lawmaker was not just a personal loss but also a strong criticism of a government that had allegedly failed in its constitutional duty to protect lives and property.
He said, “Adamu’s death is yet another grim reminder of the worsening collapse of security under the Tinubu administration. Let us be brutally honest: Nigeria is under siege, and this administration appears either overwhelmed, indifferent, or dangerously incompetent in the face of this national emergency.
“When a former member of the National Assembly can be abducted on one of the country’s most strategic highways and die in captivity, what hope remains for the ordinary Nigerian who lacks visibility, influence, or protection?”
The chieftain of the African Democratic Congress lamented that insecurity had become widespread, with citizens allegedly being abducted from highways, farms, communities, and homes while government responses remained insufficient.
“This is no longer about isolated incidents. It is now a horrifying pattern. Nigerians are being kidnapped from highways, farms, communities, even their homes, while the government continues to issue sterile statements and recycled assurances that bear no resemblance to the lived reality of our people,” he stated.
Atiku further claimed that insecurity under the current administration had turned into what he described as “a cruel national routine,” adding that many Nigerians now travel in fear while businesses and farming activities continue to experience disruptions.
The Waziri Adamawa also condemned the continued attacks along the Abuja-Kaduna corridor despite repeated assurances from security agencies and massive budgetary allocations to the sector.
“A government that cannot secure its highways cannot claim to govern. A government that watches citizens get hunted like prey has failed the most elementary test of leadership.
“It is particularly tragic that the Abuja-Kaduna corridor and surrounding routes have remained notorious theatres of terror despite repeated promises, security budgets running into trillions, and endless propaganda about progress,” he added.
He questioned the Federal Government’s security strategy and called for accountability from the administration.
“Nigerians deserve answers. What exactly is the security strategy of this administration? Where is the urgency? Where is the accountability? How many more deaths must be recorded before this government realises that press releases do not defeat bandits?
“No amount of political spin can deodorise this failure. A nation where former lawmakers die in captivity while criminals operate with audacity is a nation in distress.
“At this point, what Nigerians need is not another hollow condolence message. They need decisive leadership, coherent action, and measurable results,” he stated.
Atiku also sympathised with the family of the deceased, the people of Jigawa State, and other Nigerians affected by insecurity, while urging the Federal Government to treat the country’s worsening security crisis as an emergency.
