Kaduna abduction: Nigerians now at mercy of bandits — Atiku

Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress chieftain, Atiku Abubakar, has expressed grave concern over the “increasing audacity” of bandits in Nigeria. His remarks followed the mass abduction of over 177 people from various churches in the Kurmin Wali community of Kaduna State on Sunday.

The attack occurred just a week after the same community reportedly paid N2.6 million in ransom to secure the release of previously abducted residents. Atiku described the recurring nature of these incidents as a sign that criminal elements are operating with little to no resistance from security forces.

In a statement through his media aide, Paul Ibe, Atiku criticized the “colossally embarrassing” reality of non-state actors holding the nation hostage. He questioned the effectiveness of state-led peace deals, noting that these same criminals continue to attack communities and take hostages despite such agreements.

The ADC leader argued that deterrence is impossible when government officials are seen “on their knees begging bandits” for peace. While not entirely opposed to negotiation, Atiku insisted that peace must not be dictated by criminals on their own terms, as these deals often favor the aggressors over the victims.

“Those peace deals always favour the bandits more than their victims, and they have always fooled the government’s negotiators,” Atiku stated. He urged the government to shift from a reactive stance to a proactive one, stressing that authorities should not wait for attacks to occur before mobilizing a response.

He further challenged the current administration’s reliance on strong rhetoric, stating that Nigerians are no longer impressed by words of condemnation. “Experience has shown that if rhetoric were enough to deter the bandits, the menace would have ended a long time ago,” he noted.

Concluding his remarks, Atiku called for the Tinubu-led administration to be held to its campaign promises regarding national security. He reminded the public that the APC, while in opposition, held the previous government to the highest standards and should now face the same level of accountability.