Southern Kaduna Killings: Atiku blames Tinubu, demands urgent security overhaul
by The Eagle Online · The Eagle OnlinePresidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the killing of scores of people in Southern Kaduna, describing the attack as further evidence of President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s failure to protect lives and property of Nigerians.
Atiku, the Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), gave the reaction in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, on Monday.
He described the killings in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State as “heartbreaking and unacceptable”, insisting that “every life lost is a painful indictment of a government that has repeatedly promised security but continues to preside over an expanding landscape of bloodshed.”
He stated that protecting lives is the primary duty of government, and each loss is an indictment of the current administration.
The former Vice President said it was troubling that while Nigerians mourned yet another massacre, senior government officials had continued “criss-crossing television studios and social media platforms, brandishing what they describe as an unverified claim of a letter of commendation from the United States Government”.
Drawing a contrast, Atiku noted that the United States government had recently committed about $750,000 to evacuate a single American citizen stranded on a remote Pacific island after a potential exposure to hantavirus, a gesture he said illustrated the difference between “governments that regard every citizen’s life as sacred and those that appear more concerned about international applause than the security of their own people”.
He said the people of Southern Kaduna and all Nigerians did not need letters of praise from foreign capitals but needed security, stressing that they should be able to “sleep without fear, travel without anxiety, cultivate their farms in peace and raise their children without the constant threat of terrorists, bandits and other violent criminals”.
According to the statement, governance is not a public relations exercise and cannot be measured by diplomatic soundbites or claimed commendations but by the safety of citizens and the government’s ability to protect them from harm.
It added that until that constitutional obligation is fulfilled, “every celebration of external praise rings hollow.”
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Atiku called for a comprehensive review of Nigeria’s security architecture, saying Nigerians deserved more than routine condemnations after every attack but rather intelligence-driven security operations, swift justice for perpetrators and proactive measures to prevent recurring tragedies.
He extended condolences to the bereaved families and the people of Southern Kaduna, praying for the repose of the souls of the departed and the speedy recovery of the injured.
Atiku expressed hope that the massacre was not politically motivated but urged security agencies to identify, apprehend and prosecute those responsible while strengthening security around vulnerable communities as the country approaches another political season, warning that the protection of innocent lives “must never be sacrificed on the altar of politics”.
“History will not remember how many letters of commendation a government claimed to have received. It will remember whether it protected its people when they needed protection the most.
“Today, the blood of innocent Nigerians speaks far louder than any unverified claim of international praise,” the statement said.
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