Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on President Bola Tinubu to live up to his primary constitutional responsibility of securing Nigerians or admit incompetence to either ask for help or resign.
Atiku, a former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), made the call in a statement posted on his verified Facebook page in reaction to the reported killing of a Brigade Commander in Borno State, Brigadier Geneneral Musa Uba, by Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists.
In the statement, the former VP expressed deep sadness, adding that he was extremely shocked and disturbed by news of the killing of Brig. Gen. Uba by terrorists and what he called the failure of the military hierarchy to clearly explain how it happened or what went wrong, as initial official denials indicated that this was not the case.
“This for me is unequivocally a failure of political leadership as the President seems only more interested in decimating the opposition by all means possible, while forgetting his crucial role as Commander-in-Chief of our Armed Forces.
“Gen. Musa’s death along with the deaths of some of the troops he was leading is one death too many and a bold terrorist resurgence our dear country can not afford.
“I urge all citizens and our military leaders to take heart, as even this season shall pass away.
“To Mr. President: the security of the lives of our people is your primary responsibility and you must live up to it or be humble enough to admit incompetence and either ask for help or resign,” Atiku said.
The chieftain of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) stressed that, if he were the President, he would have ordered the military to occupy Borno State or any state under siege by bandits or armed groups until they clear those areas. “We must care enough for the men and women who put their lives on the line for our sake.”
Atiku offered condolences to the Nigerian Armed Forces, the family of the bereaved officer and soldiers and indeed to all Nigerians.
“May this dark period pass over us as a nation, sooner than later,” he prayed.
LEADERSHIP reports that Uba, the Commander, 25 Task Force Brigade in Dambo, Borno State and his troops were ambushed by ISWAP terrorists at Damboa Road along Wajiroko in Borno.
Although the military high command had denied his abduction, reports surfaced on Monday that the Commander was later abducted after the deadly ambush on his team, resulting to his killing by the terrorists.
