Attacks and Killings: Former Vice President Issues Urgent Message To All Nigerians
- Atiku Abubakar warned that bandits continued to attack communities and take hostages despite claimed peace deals
- He criticised negotiations that he said weakened state authority and allowed criminals to dictate terms
- The former vice president urged the Tinubu administration to move beyond rhetoric and be held accountable for security promises
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Former Vice President of Nigeria and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has raised the alarm over what he described as the growing audacity of bandits carrying out attacks across the country without meaningful resistance.
Atiku expressed his concern while reacting to the recent attack on Kurmin Wali community in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, where residents were reportedly attacked and taken hostage.
Source: Twitter
The statement was signed by Atiku’s media adviser, Paul Ibe, and issued from Abuja on January 21, 2026.
He said it was deeply troubling that despite claims by some state governments of success in peace deals with bandits, violent attacks continued unabated.
“It is colossally embarrassing to see non-state actors holding the country hostage and attacking people and taking hostages again and again unchallenged,” Atiku said.
Atiku: Peace deals criticised as ineffective
The former vice president questioned the effectiveness of negotiations with criminal groups, noting that such arrangements often weaken the authority of the state rather than restore peace.
According to him, deterrence becomes impossible when governors are “on their knees begging bandits in the name of peace deals”.
While clarifying that he was not opposed to dialogue in principle, Atiku warned against allowing criminals to dictate the terms of engagement.
“I am not against negotiations to end the violence, but I will not accept a situation where bandits dictate peace deals on their own terms,” he said.
He added that such agreements usually favour criminals over their victims and have repeatedly undermined government efforts.
“Those peace deals always favour the bandits more than their victims and they have always fooled the government’s negotiators,” he said.
FG urged to act proactively
Atiku also faulted what he described as a reactive approach to security, urging authorities to take decisive action before attacks occur.
“The government does not have to wait until bandits launch attacks before responding,” he said.
He stressed that Nigerians were no longer satisfied with official statements condemning violence, but were demanding tangible results.
“Nigerians are no longer impressed by the powerful language of condemnation by the government. They are more interested in results than rhetoric,” he said.
Drawing from past experience, Atiku argued that verbal condemnations alone had failed to deter criminal groups.
“If rhetoric were enough to stop banditry, this menace would have ended a long time ago,” he added.
Tinubu administration urged to keep security promises
The ADC chieftain further insisted that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must be held accountable for its campaign promises on security.
Source: Twitter
“Nigerians cannot be comforted by excuses. As a former opposition party, the APC held the government of the day to the harshest standards, and the Tinubu administration must be held to the same standards.”
Atiku replies Peter Obi's fan
Previously, Legit.ng reported that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has cautioned members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) against attacking the party leaders, including himself and Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party candidate, who recently joined the ADC ahead of the 2027 election.
Atiku gave the caution while responding to an allegation by a die-hard fan of Peter Obi, Everest, who alleged that the supporters of the former vice president wanted to abuse Obi, and they did not want Atiku to feel the heat from the Obidient camp.
Source: Legit.ng
