Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to uphold his recent promise of curbing violence after attacks in Benue State killed over a dozen people. The killings occurred less than 72 hours after President Tinubu publicly assured Nigerians in Angwan Rukuba, Plateau State, that such attacks would not happen again. In a Facebook statement issued on Monday, Mr Abubakar described the president's words as "hollow," citing the swift recurrence of violence. He pointed to additional unrest, including displaced families fleeing on foot from a community in Nasarawa State and a weekend attack in Kaduna State. Mr Abubakar emphasized that the government's foremost duty is the protection of lives and property. "Enough of this hollow rhetoric, Mr President. It is time to roll up your sleeves and get to work," he said. He extended condolences to families who lost loved ones in the attacks.
Atiku's direct challenge to Tinubu over broken security assurances exposes the growing credibility gap between presidential statements and ground realities. With over a dozen lives lost in Benue just days after a public guarantee of safety, the administration's ability to project authority is under scrutiny. Nigerians are no longer measuring leadership by speeches, but by the silence that follows gunfire.
