Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the Bola Tinubu administration over what he described as its failure to tackle worsening insecurity, particularly in Kwara State, where armed bandits have reportedly sacked a community in Patigi Local Government Area.
In a statement posted on his Facebook page on Tuesday, Atiku condemned the government’s handling of security in the North-Central region, warning that the situation had reached alarming levels. He described the resurgence of killings as evidence that the Federal Government had “abandoned the region to bloodshed.”
He said, “The resurgence of killings in the North-Central shows clearly that the Tinubu administration has abandoned the region to bloodshed. Kwara, once safe, is now a hotspot of bandit and kidnap attacks. Niger State has seen militants attack military bases, murder soldiers, and even massacre worshippers in a mosque. Plateau and Benue continue to bury their dead while the Federal Government looks away.”
Atiku said that by May 2025, just two years into Tinubu’s presidency, over 10,000 lives had been lost across northern states, with Benue State alone accounting for more than half. He noted that killings and abductions continued on a weekly basis while the government “pretends nothing is wrong.”
He further accused the ruling All Progressives Congress of weaponizing security agencies against the opposition rather than tackling insecurity. “Instead of fighting insecurity, the ruling APC is fighting the opposition using thugs, infiltrators, and hired hooligans to break up political meetings in Kaduna, Kebbi, and Ogun. In each case, security forces failed to act and even blamed the victims. The silence of the APC leadership is proof of complicity,” Atiku said.
The former vice president also warned the Nigeria Police against partisanship, reminding them that they are funded by taxpayers. “You are funded by taxpayers, not by the APC. Your duty is to remain neutral, fair, and constitutional. Anything less is betrayal of public trust,” he said.
His criticism came as residents of Ndanakun village in Patigi reportedly deserted their homes following repeated bandit raids. A video obtained by The PUNCH showed villagers lamenting deadly attacks that destroyed farmland, stole livestock, and led to multiple abductions. Locals said the community had been attacked at least four times in two months.
A retiree from the area, who asked not to be named, confirmed that most villagers had fled to other parts of Kwara and Niger states. “Our people are scattered, we don’t know when it will be safe to return,” he said.
The latest violence occurred on Sunday, August 31, when armed men invaded Sabongeri village near Ndanakun, killing two people and abducting another. A day earlier, during Friday evening prayers, gunmen stormed a mosque in Patigi and shot dead 45-year-old Alhaji Dahiru in a failed kidnap attempt.
Eyewitnesses said no fewer than seven attackers entered the mosque around 8:30 p.m. during Ishai prayers and tried to abduct Dahiru. When he resisted, they shot him dead and fled on motorcycles. Security operatives later recovered two AK-47 shells from the scene. Relatives of the deceased have since appealed for his body to be released for Islamic burial rites.
In response, Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq convened a security council meeting on Monday with heads of security agencies. His Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, said the meeting reviewed clearance operations, arrests, prosecutions, and the recovery of arms across the state.
The governor praised security personnel for their sacrifices and urged residents to remain vigilant. “We appreciate the sacrifices you make every day to protect lives and property. You deserve all the support you can get,” he said.
AbdulRazaq called on communities to share intelligence with security agencies to strengthen efforts against banditry.