Atiku Condemns Rising Insecurity After Ex-Lawmaker Dies In Captivity

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the worsening insecurity in Nigeria following the death of former House of Representatives member, Hon. Abba Anas Adamu, who reportedly died in captivity after being abducted by bandits along the Kaduna-Abuja highway.

Adamu was said to have been kidnapped on May 3, 2026, and died nine days later on May 12 despite efforts by his family to secure his freedom.

Reacting in a statement issued on Tuesday through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described the incident as a “national tragedy” and a “damning indictment” of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

“His death is yet another grim reminder of the worsening collapse of security under the Tinubu administration,” the former Vice President said.

The former vice president said the death of a former federal lawmaker in the hands of bandits underscored what he called the government’s failure to protect lives and property.

“Let us be brutally honest: Nigeria is under siege, and the Tinubu administration appears either overwhelmed, indifferent, or dangerously incompetent in the face of this national emergency,” Atiku said.

He queried the safety of ordinary Nigerians if a former member of the National Assembly could be abducted on one of the country’s busiest highways and die in captivity.

“When a former member of the National Assembly can be abducted on one of the country’s most strategic highways and die in captivity, what hope remains for the ordinary Nigerian who lacks visibility, influence, or protection?” he asked.

According to him, insecurity under the current administration has become a recurring nightmare for citizens across the country.

“This is no longer about isolated incidents. It is now a horrifying pattern. Nigerians are being kidnapped from highways, farms, communities, even their homes, while the government continues to issue sterile statements and recycled assurances that bear no resemblance to the lived reality of our people,” he stated.

Atiku further accused the Federal Government of failing to secure major highways despite huge security allocations and repeated assurances from authorities.

“It is particularly tragic that the Abuja-Kaduna corridor and surrounding routes have remained notorious theatres of terror despite repeated promises, security budgets running into trillions, and endless propaganda about progress,” he said.

The former vice president also questioned the administration’s security strategy and demanded accountability from government officials.

“Nigerians deserve answers. What exactly is the security strategy of this administration? Where is the urgency? Where is the accountability? How many more deaths must be recorded before this government realises that press releases do not defeat bandits?” he queried.

He added that Nigerians were tired of condolence messages and needed “decisive leadership, coherent action, and measurable results” to tackle insecurity.

Atiku extended condolences to the family of the deceased, the people of Jigawa State, and Nigerians affected by the growing wave of insecurity, while urging the Federal Government to treat the security crisis as a national emergency.