A fresh war of words has erupted between former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and President Bola Tinubu over the worsening security situation in the country.
Atiku, in a strongly worded statement released on Wednesday through his aide, Phrank Shaibu, accused the Tinubu administration of failing in its primary responsibility of safeguarding lives and property.
“It is not political opponents who will judge this administration; it is the blood of innocent Nigerians being shed daily across our land,” Atiku said, adding that the scale of violence across the country has reached alarming levels.
The former vice president claimed that more than 10,000 Nigerians have lost their lives since the current administration assumed office, with some estimates putting the figure as high as 18,000 over a two-year period.
He criticised what he described as attempts to downplay public outrage over insecurity, warning that such responses trivialise the suffering of victims and their families.
Atiku also faulted the Federal Government’s handling of a recent attack in Ekiti State, where gunmen reportedly killed a pastor and abducted several worshippers, describing the response as inadequate and lacking empathy.
“It is disturbing that such a heinous incident has yet to attract the acknowledgment it deserves, while the loss of lives is framed as a political issue,” he said, stressing that governance itself is on trial when citizens are left unprotected.
However, President Tinubu, reacting to criticisms, said his political opponents were seeking to exploit the country’s security challenges for personal gain.
Speaking at the State House in Abuja during a meeting with a delegation from Plateau State, the president said attempts to remove him from office through political pressure would not succeed.
Tinubu described himself as a “very stubborn” politician, maintaining that he remains focused on governance and would contest the 2027 elections despite mounting criticism.
