Southern Kaduna Killings: Atiku Blames Tinubu, Demands Security Overhaul

Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the recent killings in Southern Kaduna, describing the attack as further evidence of what he called the Tinubu administration’s failure to protect the lives and property of Nigerians.

In a statement issued on Monday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described the reported killing of scores of residents in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State as “heartbreaking and unacceptable.”

“The reported killing of scores of innocent Nigerians in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State is heartbreaking and unacceptable. 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 said.

According to Atiku, no country can claim progress when its citizens are killed in their homes by criminals operating with impunity.

The former vice president also faulted what he described as the federal government’s focus on publicising an unverified letter of commendation from the United States while Nigerians continue to lose their lives to insecurity.

“It is deeply troubling that while Nigerians mourn yet another massacre, senior officials of this administration have been busy 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,” he said.

Drawing a comparison with the United States, Atiku argued that responsible governments place the highest value on the lives of their citizens, citing reports that the Trump administration spent about $750,000 to evacuate a stranded American citizen following possible exposure to hantavirus.

He maintained that Nigerians were not interested in international commendations but in a government capable of guaranteeing their safety.

“The people of Southern Kaduna—and indeed all Nigerians—do not need letters of praise from foreign capitals. They need security. They need 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,” he said.

Atiku insisted that governance should be measured by the government’s ability to protect citizens rather than public relations efforts or diplomatic endorsements.

The former vice president said the latest attack underscored the urgent need for a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s security architecture, calling for intelligence-driven operations, swift prosecution of perpetrators and proactive measures to prevent further attacks.

He also expressed condolences to the families of the victims and prayed for the repose of those killed as well as the recovery of those injured.

Atiku further urged security agencies to strengthen protection for vulnerable communities as the country moves closer to another election cycle, expressing hope that the attack was not politically motivated.

“It is my sincere hope that this horrific massacre was not politically motivated. However, as the nation gradually approaches another political season, the security agencies must not only identify, apprehend and prosecute those responsible for this heinous crime, but must also take anticipatory and pre-emptive measures to strengthen security around vulnerable communities that could become targets of similar attacks,” he said.

He concluded that governments would ultimately be judged by how effectively they protected their citizens rather than by claims of international commendation.

“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,” Atiku stated.