Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 elections, has lamented the unprovoked daily killings and maiming of Nigerians all across the country.
Atiku in a statement on Monday in Abuja, expressed dismay at the level of blood-letting in the country, for which he said, “there can be no justification.”
The Waziri Adamawa condemned the killing of 88 persons in Kebbi State last Thursday, where many are still missing or unaccounted for. He noted that the state is yet to recover from the boat mishap that claimed the lives of over 100 people.
The PDP leader decried the reported killing of persons in Niger and Imo states, the attack on a police station in Delta State; including the Sunday’s killing of 22 persons in Igangan, Oyo State, with yet, another reported attack that has claimed scores of lives in Zamfara State on Monday.
Atiku expressed perturbation about how far the criminal elements in the society are willing to go,
“but most worryingly, how we, as citizens, can continue to absorb these shocks unabatedly.” He expressed deep concern about the depreciating value of human life in the country.
Atiku noted with sadness how all these negative activities are debilitating the country’s development as a democracy, and cautioned that no nation can witness any meaningful growth in the midst of this kind of chaos.
While noting the efforts of the nation’s security agencies in battling these criminal elements, Atiku urged them not to “rest on their oars until we regain our country back from those that are determined to pull it into the abyss.”
He urged the government and the security agencies to place greater priority on the protection of lives and property of the citizens, “being the first line charge of duty to the citizens.”
Atiku acknowledged that the fight against insecurity can be herculean in terms of human and financial resources, but observed that “it’s a course that as a nation, we have no choice but to face it headlong.”
The former Vice President condoled with the families of all those affected and prayed for the repose of the souls of their loved ones.