Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has launched a scathing critique of President Bola Tinubu’s approach to Nigeria’s security crisis, accusing the administration of offering repetitive statements rather than decisive action. In a strongly worded reaction to recent deadly attacks in Oyo and Katsina states, Atiku argued that the government’s response has become a predictable cycle of empty rhetoric.
Through his spokesperson Phrank Shaibu, Atiku highlighted that the escalating violence—including kidnappings of schoolchildren and teachers—reflects a systemic failure at the highest level of leadership. He noted that after each tragedy, the president issues the same tired condemnations and vague threats of justice, but no tangible change occurs.
“The script never changes: condemn, threaten, wait for the next attack,” Atiku said. He emphasized that Nigerians have grown weary of this pattern, which he described as “recycled outrage” that has lost all meaning.
The former VP warned that criminal elements now operate with impunity, as the state’s authority has eroded. “When abductions and massacres happen without consequences, it signals a collapsed security apparatus,” he stated. He also criticized what he called attempts to suppress information about violent incidents, calling it a dangerous move for democracy.
Atiku called for an immediate overhaul of the security system, urging the government to prioritize rescuing hostages and implementing effective measures to prevent further bloodshed. He concluded that a leader who only speaks after lives are lost is not leading but presiding over failure.