ABUJA — Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has issued a stinging condemnation of the worsening security crisis in Nigeria, describing the nation as a “killing field” following a wave of deadly attacks in Kwara, Benue, and Katsina states in early February 2026.
In a formal statement released on Thursday, February 5, 2026, the 2023 PDP presidential candidate decried the scale of recent massacres as evidence of a “grave failure” by the Nigerian state. However, his remarks have immediately reignited a long-standing controversy regarding his past handling of religious-motivated violence—specifically the 2022 lynching of Deborah Samuel in Sokoto.
A Failed Security Architecture
Atiku’s latest critique targets the “weak and reactive” approach of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration.
- The Massacres: Atiku highlighted the slaughter of over 170 people in Woro, Kwara State, noting that the community had received warning letters for five months with no sustained protective response.
- Northern Bloodshed: He also condemned the massacre of 24 people in Doma, Katsina and the “Christian genocide” reported in Kwande, Benue State, where market traders were butchered in broad daylight.
The Deborah Samuel Shadow
Critics were quick to remind the former Vice President of his own controversial record on speaking out against targeted killings. In May 2022, Atiku deleted a tweet condemning the brutal murder of Deborah Samuel, a Christian student at the Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto who was lynched by a mob over alleged blasphemy.
The deletion, which occurred after a backlash from Northern extremists, led many to accuse Atiku of prioritizing 2023 political ambitions over the lives of citizens. This past “silence” continues to haunt his current critiques, with social media users questioning the sincerity of his “killing field” narrative when he previously failed to stand firm against a specific act of religious extremism.
Judicial and Legislative Demands
Despite the baggage, Atiku maintained his call for a radical shift in security policy:
- Terrorism Prosecution: He urged the Attorney General to stop the “culture of impunity” and called for the use of special courts to expedite the trial of terror suspects like Abubakar Malami.
- Arming Local Forces: He appealed to the National Assembly to allow states to arm and equip local security outfits to augment federal forces.
Opposition Politics
Atiku’s statement comes as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) slams the Senate for rejecting electronic result transmission, a move they call a “renewed rigging plan” for 2027. While Atiku frames the 2027 cycle as a referendum on “Renewed Hope” failures, his detractors argue that his history of selective condemnation remains a hurdle to his own credibility.
