• Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar condemned the recent abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Ogbomoso, Oyo State
• He described the situation as a “collapse of leadership” under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration
• Atiku called for the immediate rescue of abducted victims and stronger security operations in vulnerable communities

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the worsening security situation in the country, describing recent attacks in Oyo and Katsina states as proof of a “collapse of leadership.”

In a statement released on Tuesday, May 19, through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku condemned the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, as well as the killings reported in Katsina State.

The former vice president expressed sadness over reports that one of the abducted teachers was killed, warning that insecurity across Nigeria was exposing serious weaknesses in the country’s security structure.

“At a time when armed criminals are abducting schoolchildren, slaughtering innocent citizens, and turning communities into graveyards, President Tinubu’s response remains the same tired ritual,” Atiku said.

He accused the Federal Government of relying on repeated condemnations and public statements instead of taking decisive action against criminal groups terrorising communities.

“Nigerians have heard this script too many times. It has become painfully predictable and utterly meaningless,” the statement read.

Atiku further stated that attacks on schools and communities had become more frequent because criminal groups no longer feared the authority of the Nigerian state.

“The horrifying abduction in Ogbomoso and the gruesome killings in Katsina are not isolated incidents,” he said.

“They are part of a grim national pattern in which criminals operate with terrifying confidence because they no longer fear the Nigerian state.”

According to him, a government that reacts only after attacks occur cannot be seen as effectively leading the country.

“A President who only finds his voice after blood has been spilt is not leading but presiding over failure,” Atiku stated.

The former vice president also questioned the value of repeated official condolences issued after violent incidents, arguing that grieving families needed stronger security measures rather than promises.

“What comfort is ‘the full wrath of the law’ to families already burying their loved ones?” he asked.

He additionally raised concerns about alleged attempts to prevent graphic images and evidence of attacks from circulating publicly, saying any move to suppress such evidence would amount to a serious moral failure.

“If this government is indeed more interested in censoring evidence of mass killings than in preventing the killings themselves, then that is not merely incompetence, it is cruelty of the highest order,” he added.

Atiku maintained that the Federal Government must urgently improve security operations, rescue all abducted victims in Oyo State, and carry out a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s security architecture.

PDP slams Tinubu’s Plateau visit as insensitive

Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his visit to Plateau State following the deadly attack that claimed more than 40 lives, describing the trip as insensitive and lacking compassion.

In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the opposition party said the president’s response to the Palm Sunday killings of March 29, 2026, fell short of the urgency and empathy expected from a national leader.

According to the PDP, the presidency remained silent for over 48 hours after the attack, only reacting after widespread public criticism.