Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has raised fresh concerns over the escalating violence in Plateau State, describing the recurring attacks and the reported assault on mourners as evidence of a deepening security crisis in the country.
Atiku's Statement on Plateau Violence
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the persistent attacks on communities across Plateau State now bear “the disturbing hallmark of organised terrorism,” warning that the continued bloodshed reflects the absence of a clear and effective counterterrorism strategy under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
According to the former Vice President, the latest killings in Barkin Ladi serve as another painful reminder that innocent Nigerians are increasingly being abandoned to the mercy of armed attackers while government intervention remains slow, reactive, and inadequate.
Call for Urgent Government Action
“The violent crises in Plateau State have become an open wound that Nigeria must urgently confront and heal. What is happening can no longer be dismissed as isolated violence. It is a repeated and coordinated campaign of terror against vulnerable communities,” Atiku stated.
The statement cited reports that armed assailants invaded the Nding Susut community in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area on Tuesday night, killing several residents. More disturbing, according to the statement, was the claim that the attackers returned less than 24 hours later to target mourners gathered for the burial of the victims.
Criticism of Government Response
Atiku described the incident as a tragic reflection of a nation where even moments of grief and burial are no longer protected from violence. “That attackers could reportedly return to the same community barely a day later to unleash another round of bloodshed is a damning indictment of the government’s inability to respond swiftly to distress calls and secure vulnerable communities,” he added.
The former Vice President urged the federal government to deploy additional security forces to Plateau State and implement a comprehensive strategy to dismantle terrorist networks operating in the region. He also called for a thorough investigation into the attacks and for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.
