Omanghana
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has launched a sharp attack on President Bola Tinubu’s handling of Nigeria’s security crisis, describing the administration’s record as “soaked in blood.”
Atiku, the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, made the criticism in a statement issued on Sunday, August 9, 2026, by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu.
The former vice president cited reports indicating that 5,091 Nigerians were killed in violent incidents across the country within a recent three-month period.
According to Atiku, the reported death toll represents a serious failure by the Federal Government to fulfil its fundamental constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property.
He cautioned against treating the figure as a collection of statistics, stressing that every reported death represents a human tragedy involving grieving relatives, orphaned children and communities living in fear.
Atiku also connected the country’s worsening insecurity to what he described as the Tinubu administration’s fiscal indiscipline, budget padding and wasteful public expenditure.
He accused the government of managing public resources as though the national treasury were a private account, arguing that such conduct deprives frontline soldiers, police officers and other security personnel of the equipment and support needed to confront terrorism, banditry and kidnapping.
The former vice president maintained that Nigeria’s security agencies require adequate and timely funding to operate effectively. He said approved resources must reach the personnel and institutions for which they are intended instead of being diverted to non-essential government spending.
Atiku called on the Federal Government to immediately reduce what he described as frivolous expenditure and fully implement all budgetary allocations dedicated to national defense and public safety.
He argued that addressing the security crisis requires more than official assurances, demanding measurable action to protect vulnerable communities and strengthen the country’s security architecture.
The 5,091 death toll remains a figure cited by Atiku’s office from reported violent incidents. The statement did not provide a detailed breakdown of the cases or identify the organization responsible for compiling the data.
Source: Omanghana
