Killings: ‘Atiku Is Focused On Selling Fear To Nigerians’ – Presidency

The Presidency has tackled the African Democratic Congress (ADC) 2027 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, over claims that the reported 5,091 Nigerians killed in violent incidents over three months was an indictment on President Bola Tinubu’s government.

Naija News reports that Atiku, in a statement on Sunday through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, described Tinubu’s security record as soaked in blood, citing the 5,091 death toll as grounds for the government’s removal.

In a response, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, in an interview with Punch, argued that Atiku deliberately ignored the successes of the Armed Forces in the war against terror in pursuit of a politics of despair.

Ajayi noted that security agencies had in the past three-month period killed more than 13,000 terrorists and rescued thousands more Nigerians from captivity, but Atiku is focused on selling fear to Nigerians, which, according to him, serves as politics to the former Vice President.

He said, “In the last three months, the security agencies have, according to official figures, killed between 13,000 to 20,000 terrorists. They have rescued at least 10,000 of Nigerians across the DSS, the police, the military. And this is according to official reports.

“So, every day the military, the police, the DSS are rescuing people. So, why is Atiku not commending them for that? Are those people who were rescued not important?

 “He cannot focus on that because it doesn’t serve his politics of despair. All he wants to focus on is despondency to sell fear to Nigerians. What it serves is warped politics. It is politics without conscience.”

Ajayi cited the recent mass rescue of Nigerians abducted in the North-Central region, noting that the military’s operations extended beyond rescues to sustained offensive action against armed groups.

According to him, the Armed Forces are eliminating terrorists in their numbers, disrupting their operations, arresting their logistic suppliers and their informants daily.

He further questioned Atiku’s conduct as a former holder of high office, describing his continued criticism as unbecoming of a statesman.

He stated, “Just last week, 308 Nigerians were rescued from around Niger State, including those abducted in Kwara and part of Niger.

“Go to the official handles of the police, the DSS and the army. You will see reports of Nigerians, women, children, men, rescued from across the states, either from kidnappers, bandits, or Boko Haram. If you sum up those figures, they are more than 10,000.

“Our armed forces are eliminating terrorists. They are arresting them in their numbers, disrupting their operations, arresting their logistic suppliers and their informants every day.

“Why is Atiku not talking about that? It’s because he wants to continue to sow the seed of fear, the seed of despondency, the seed of hopelessness, hoping that it will help his politics.

Of course, he’s desperate. Atiku is desperate, so he has forgotten that he’s supposed to be a statesman.

“He is somebody who has served as the Vice President of this country and should speak in a dignified manner. He should seek the good of the country, not sell hopelessness every day, hoping it will help him win election next year. He will not win the election. Nigerians have seen through him.” 

The Presidential aide also stated that Tinubu will win in the 2027 polls, because he is winning the war against insecurity, insurgency and stabilising the polity.

Ajayi added, “Nigerians have always rejected Atiku, and Nigerians will continue to reject him. And in the next election, he will be rejected largely again.

“President Tinubu will win election next year handsomely because he is winning the war against insecurity, he is winning the war on insurgency, he is stabilising the polity, and he’s going to win his election, no matter the campaign of calumny, no matter the the antics of Atiku and his cohort.”