Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the worsening insecurity across the country, warning that Nigeria is drifting into a dangerous state of instability that could threaten national unity and the safety of millions of citizens. Atiku, in a strongly worded statement on Monday, said the recent attacks in Kebbi, Zamfara, Kano, and other states show that the country is facing a serious security breakdown that requires immediate and decisive action from the Federal Government.
The former Vice President expressed deep sadness over the attack on Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, in Danko Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State. Armed men invaded the school in the early hours of Monday, killing the Vice Principal, Hassan Yakubu Makuku, and abducting several female students. Atiku described the incident as heartbreaking and unacceptable, saying it highlighted the growing vulnerability of schoolchildren, especially in northern Nigeria.
He said the attack served as a painful reminder of the long-standing crisis of school kidnappings that has plagued the country for more than a decade. From the 2014 Chibok girls’ abduction in Borno State to the repeated mass kidnappings in states like Zamfara, Katsina, Niger, Kaduna, and Kebbi, schools have increasingly become targets for bandits and terrorists seeking ransom or trying to spread fear.
According to Atiku, the fact that armed groups continue to strike at schools despite repeated promises from government to protect educational institutions shows that the current security approach is failing. He stressed that the killing of the Vice Principal—who reportedly died while trying to defend his students—was a loss not only to his family but to the entire education sector.
In addition to the Kebbi school attack, Atiku also condemned the killing of Umar Moriki, a local chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Zamfara State. Moriki’s death reportedly occurred during a violent attack by bandits who have continued to terrorise rural communities in the North-West region.
Atiku further lamented the mass abductions in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, where dozens of residents, including women and children, were kidnapped. He said the repeated attacks in Zamfara have turned entire communities into ghost towns, with residents either fleeing to safer areas or living under constant fear.
“These acts of barbarity have no place in a civilised society,” Atiku said. “The scale and frequency of these attacks show that the government is failing in its most basic responsibility: the protection of life and property.”
He added that when communities are repeatedly targeted without strong intervention from security agencies, citizens begin to lose confidence in government institutions, which can weaken national stability.
Atiku noted that the tragedies in Kebbi and Zamfara are part of a bigger pattern of bloodshed spreading across the country. In Plateau and Benue States, rural communities have continued to suffer attacks from armed groups, leading to killings, destruction of property, and displacement of thousands of people.
In recent weeks, several villages in Plateau State have come under heavy assault, with homes burned and families forced to flee. Similar patterns of violence have been reported in Benue, where clashes between armed herders and farming communities continue to claim lives.
Atiku also drew attention to reports from Shanono Local Government Area of Kano State, where residents fled their homes following fresh attacks by armed men. The development shocked many Nigerians, as Kano is viewed as one of the more secure states in the northern region. Atiku said the spread of attacks into areas that were previously considered relatively safe shows that insecurity is no longer limited to a few troubled states but has now become a nationwide emergency.
The former Vice President warned that the country’s current security strategy is not working and must be urgently reviewed. He said the rising wave of violence across the North-West, North-Central, and other parts of the country exposes the weakness of the existing security framework and the need for a new direction.
Atiku urged President Bola Tinubu to take immediate steps to strengthen the nation’s security architecture. He advised the government to deploy more security personnel to vulnerable communities, improve intelligence gathering, and increase the use of technology in tracking and combating armed groups.
“The government must deploy adequate personnel to vulnerable communities and intensify intelligence-led operations,” he said. “Our citizens deserve protection, dignity, and peace — nothing less.”
Atiku said Nigeria’s security challenge can no longer be addressed with old strategies that have failed to stop the spread of violence. He argued that unless bold action is taken, the country may slip further into chaos, threatening national unity and development.
The attack on GGCSS Maga is reminiscent of several other major school abductions in recent years, such as the 2021 kidnapping of over 80 students from the Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri, also in Kebbi State. Many of those students were held for months before being released in batches, often after negotiations.
Atiku said the increasing targeting of schools is unacceptable and demanded that government take special steps to protect educational institutions. He said Nigeria cannot hope to achieve national progress if its children cannot attend school safely.
The former Vice President urged political leaders across party lines to work together in addressing the country’s security challenges. He warned that insecurity does not recognise political parties, ethnic groups, or religious backgrounds, and therefore must be tackled as a collective national problem.
Atiku also encouraged Nigerians to support security agencies by sharing useful information about suspicious activities in their communities. He said restoring peace is a shared responsibility, but the government must lead the effort.
As the nation continues to mourn the victims of these repeated attacks, Atiku insisted that Nigeria must not allow itself to grow used to violence. He called for stronger political will, better coordination among security agencies, and a renewed commitment to protecting every citizen.
“This is a national emergency,” he said. “Nigeria cannot continue on this path.”
