Plateau Killings: Security Architecture Has Broken Down, Atiku Tells Tinubu

Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has slammed President Bola Tinubu over the endless killings in Plateau States, saying that the nation’s security architecture has broken down.

No fewer than 27 persons were killed on Sunday in Zike community in Kimakpa area of Kwali district of Bassa local government area of the state. This followed the killing of another 52 persons in the state barely a week earlier.

In a statement on Monday by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, the former Vice President also flayed the upsurge in bloody terrorist attacks in Borno State by Boko Haram insurgents.

According to him, the mindless killings on the Plateau and the resurgence of terrorist attacks in Borno are manifestations of the woeful failure of both the security policy and infrastructure of the Tinubu-led administration.

He called on the Federal Government to take tougher proactive measures to deal with what he called “these disgraceful incidents that challenge our national security.”

“Every sincere Nigerian should be worried about the frequency and impunity with which terrorists and bandits attack innocent people in the country, especially in Northern Nigeria, which has become the epicenter of terrorist violence in the country.

“The delay in the prosecution of captured terrorists and bandits in custody since 2016 has emboldened the mass murderers to kill with impunity. If the government had applied the same energy in the prosecution of terrorists and bandits as it did in the trial of political critics, it would have gone a long way to send a powerful message to the outlaws that there are consequences for mass murder,” Atiku said.

Atiku called on the authorities to accord the highest priority to the prosecution of terrorists and bandits, canvassing the establishment of special courts to fast-track the trial and conviction of terrorists.

“Hundreds of terrorists and bandits have been in custody since 2016 without trial, and the delay in bringing them to justice is demoralizing to our security forces. If terrorists and bandits are captured and then are left in custody longer than necessary without trial, it will undermine the efforts and sacrifices of our security forces. Our criminal justice system is notoriously slow and as a result, terrorists and bandits are thus encouraged to feel that crime pays,” Atiku said.

According to him, the ease with which armed criminal groups cross through the nation’s borders to carry our terrorist activities in Nigeria has become a national embarrassment.

Atiku added that condemnation of terrorist attacks by the government is not enough, stressing that prompt and proactive measures should be taken to forestall further attacks and loss of innocent lives.

He noted that as long as the terrorists and bandits are operating successfully without consequences, they will continue to attack innocent people again and again.

Atiku called on the National Assembly to urgently introduce a legislation to allow state governments to adequately arm their security outfits with modern weapons to complement the efforts of the security forces who appear to be overstretched in terms of men and resources.

The former vice president also blamed local community members who serve as informants to criminal armed groups.

He noted that local community members have a role to play in their own security by providing intelligence to security forces about the presence and activities of bandits and terrorists in their midst.

Atiku however, applauded the rare sacrifices of the security forces in counter-terrorism operations, adding that without public support, the criminals can not succeed.