Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the abduction of the sister and twin nephews of former Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, in Ibadan, describing the incident as further proof of the deepening insecurity crisis in Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku expressed solidarity with the Adelabu family and called for the immediate and unconditional release of the victims. He also urged security agencies to deploy every available resource toward ensuring their safe rescue and the swift arrest and prosecution of those responsible.
Brazen Abduction in Ibadan
According to Atiku, the brazen nature of the abduction, reportedly carried out at the busy Challenge area of Ibadan, underscores the alarming deterioration of security across the country. He noted that the fact that kidnappers could operate freely in one of Ibadan's busiest and most recognizable locations without fear of interception speaks volumes about the worsening state of insecurity.
The former Vice President said the latest incident raises troubling questions for the Tinubu administration, especially as insecurity continues to spread across the country without decisive government response.
Questions for the Government
“While millions of ordinary Nigerians have endured the horrors of kidnapping for years, this latest incident raises a question the government can no longer avoid: if those in power have become desensitized to the suffering of ordinary citizens, should they not at least be alarmed when insecurity reaches the doorstep of one of their own?” he asked.
Atiku lamented that families across Nigeria are being subjected to unimaginable trauma as kidnappers and other criminal elements operate with increasing audacity. “Schoolchildren are abducted from classrooms, farmers are driven from their lands, travelers are kidnapped on highways, and entire communities are held hostage by fear.
“Yet, despite these grim realities, the government’s response has too often been characterized by excuses, propaganda, and palliatives rather than decisive action,” he stated.
Insecurity Does Not Discriminate
He stressed that insecurity does not discriminate on the basis of political affiliation or social status. “Kidnappers do not ask for party membership cards before striking. They do not distinguish between APC members and opposition supporters. They do not care whether their victims are ministers, traders, teachers, students, or farmers.
“The same insecurity that has turned the lives of ordinary Nigerians into a daily nightmare is now knocking on doors many in government may have assumed were beyond its reach,” he said.
Atiku described the incident as a wake-up call for those entrusted with the responsibility of protecting lives and property. “If the endless cries of ordinary Nigerians were not enough to spur this government into action, one would have expected that an attack affecting the family of a former member of the administration would finally underscore the urgency of the crisis.
“Sadly, insecurity has become so pervasive that no one is truly insulated from its consequences,” he added.
Government Failure
The former Vice President maintained that any government unable to guarantee the safety of its citizens has failed in one of its most fundamental obligations. He decried a situation where Nigerians now budget for ransom payments in the same manner they budget for school fees, while families live in constant fear of receiving devastating calls about abducted loved ones.
Atiku called on the Tinubu administration to abandon what he described as a reactive approach to security and urgently implement a comprehensive, intelligence-driven strategy aimed at dismantling kidnapping syndicates, securing vulnerable communities, and restoring public confidence.
He reiterated his demand for the immediate rescue of the victims and the arrest and prosecution of those behind the abduction. “Nigerians deserve security, not excuses. They deserve protection, not palliatives,” he said.
