Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the killing of scores of residents in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, describing the attack as another tragic reflection of what he called the Tinubu administration’s failure to protect the lives and property of Nigerians.
In a statement on Monday, Mr Atiku said the massacre of innocent men, women and children in Southern Kaduna was heartbreaking and unacceptable, arguing that the continued bloodshed across the country had exposed the inability of the Federal Government to fulfil its primary constitutional responsibility.
“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 the former vice president, no country could claim to be making progress when citizens were being attacked in their homes and communities by criminals operating with impunity.
Atiku criticised the Federal Government for allegedly focusing on what he described as an unverified letter of commendation from the United States instead of addressing the country’s worsening insecurity.
He contrasted the situation with what he said was the response of the United States government, which reportedly spent about $750,000 to evacuate a single American citizen stranded on a remote Pacific island after a potential exposure to hantavirus.
“That is the difference between governments that regard every citizen’s life as sacred and those that appear more concerned about international applause than the security of their own people,” he said.
The ADC presidential candidate maintained that Nigerians were not interested in foreign commendations but wanted 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 added.
Atiku stressed that governance should be judged by the safety of citizens rather than public relations campaigns or diplomatic endorsements.
He called for an urgent review of the nation’s security architecture, urging the government to adopt intelligence-driven operations, ensure the swift prosecution of perpetrators and implement proactive measures to prevent recurring attacks.
The former vice president also extended his condolences to the families of those killed and wished those injured a speedy recovery.
He further urged security agencies to thoroughly investigate the latest attack and ensure those responsible were brought to justice.
While expressing hope that the killings were not politically motivated, Atiku cautioned security agencies to strengthen surveillance and deploy preventive measures in vulnerable communities as political activities ahead of the next election cycle begin to gather momentum.
“The protection of innocent lives must never be sacrificed on the altar of politics,” he said.
He concluded by insisting that history would ultimately judge governments not by claims of international commendation but by their ability to protect the lives of their citizens when it mattered most.
