Why Killing Of Innocent Nigerians Have Continued Unabated – Atiku

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has revealed why the killing of innocent Nigerians has continued without any repercussion.

Atiku stated that the insecurity in the country has worsened because culprits from previous incidents were not punished or made to answer for their crimes.

The former Vice President opined that the inability of the Federal Government to apprehend and punish the criminals has emboldened them and generated more criminals.

Naija News reports that Atiku was reacting to the killing of over 40 security agents and civilians by bandits during an attack on a mining site in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.

In a chat with This Day on Sunday night, Atiku said the situation might remain, except the authorities went beyond mere issuance of threats to actually punish those behind the killings.

He argued that not dealing decisively with the killers creates an atmosphere for others to plan future attacks, adding that the current state of the country makes everyone vulnerable.

The former vice president believed the fate of the country depended on happenings within the main opposition party, saying when PDP gets better, hope for a better Nigeria is rekindled.

He described the attacks in Niger and Taraba states that led to the loss of scores of lives of soldiers, police personnel and civilians are worrisome.

He said: “The key to ending these spates of attacks on our military formations, from the point of view of civil authority, is to end impunity.

“These killings keep recurring because previous killings have not been punished. We need to go beyond the rhetoric of mouthing that those behind these killings will face the full wrath of the law.

“The fact remains that those behind such previous killings have not been dealt with. That is why these killings keep happening, and even as we speak, these belligerents are likely planning future killings. So, we must end impunity. That is one.

“Secondly, from a military standpoint, I am of the view that the president should not talk at the military. Quite the opposite. The holder of that office has to listen to them. They know their strengths and weaknesses. They know better than anyone the threats facing Nigeria. They know where the shoe pinches.”

Atiku said, if elected president next year, “I intend to listen to them and provide them with everything they need. To that end, our soldiers have to be motivated. And I am not just talking about their wages. They have to know that their lives are important to their Commander-in-Chief.

“Under my watch, such losses of lives will be minimal. However, where even one soldier is killed, it is the duty of the C-in-C to personally empathise with their families, so, those left behind are motivated because they see that their service to the nation matters.

“If you join the military, you should have financial and social security. At the barest minimum, if you die in service, then your family becomes the responsibility of the federal government.

“Our troops need the right leadership, the right weaponry, and the right conditions of service. When our military know that the nation and the C-in-C are behind them, these incidents of insecurity will also soon be behind us.”