Atiku Challenges Tinubu’s Government Over Insecurity Narrative

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the Bola Tinubu administration for what he described as attempts to shift responsibility for Nigeria’s worsening insecurity and economic hardship onto citizens and the media. His remarks add weight to growing public frustration over the government’s handling of security and economic reforms.

The controversy stems from recent comments by presidential aides suggesting that many kidnapping incidents occur because Nigerians ignore police warnings against travelling at night. Atiku, through his aide Phrank Shaibu, argued that such reasoning effectively admits that citizens are only safe for part of the day. He described the position as alarming, saying it reduces Africa’s largest economy to an “eight-hour economy” where people must retreat indoors after sunset.

Atiku stressed that the primary duty of any government is to protect lives and property. He rejected the notion that citizens should bear responsibility for their own safety in the face of rising insecurity. “Citizens do not surrender their freedoms in exchange for curfews imposed by fear,” he said.

He pointed to recurring violence across the country, citing killings in Benue and Plateau states, bandit attacks in Zamfara, Katsina and Niger, and widespread kidnappings. According to him, traders, farmers, and families travelling legitimately should not be blamed when criminals strike. Responsibility, he insisted, rests squarely on security agencies and the government.

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Atiku warned that normalising insecurity by advising citizens to avoid travel at certain hours would have severe economic consequences. He argued that economies thrive when people can move freely and conduct lawful activities without fear. Restricting mobility, he said, undermines trade and productivity, worsening Nigeria’s fragile economy.

Beyond insecurity, Atiku accused the Tinubu administration of being out of touch with the economic realities facing Nigerians. He said hunger and hardship have become defining features of the current government, with rising food prices, inflation, unemployment, and declining purchasing power leaving millions of families struggling.

“The father who goes to bed wondering how to provide the next meal for his family does not need a newspaper report to confirm hardship,” he noted.

Atiku also faulted attempts to blame journalists for highlighting insecurity and economic challenges. He likened such reasoning to “blaming a thermometer for a fever,” insisting that the media merely reports realities already experienced by citizens. He warned that governments lose credibility when they focus on managing narratives instead of addressing underlying problems.

In his statement, Atiku emphasised that Nigerians need solutions, not explanations. “Nigeria does not need lectures about perception. Nigeria needs results,” he said. His comments reflect a broader demand for tangible action from the government, particularly after reforms such as fuel subsidy removal and naira floating triggered sharp increases in living costs.

The remarks come amid growing public concern over persistent insecurity and economic hardship. With inflation climbing and violent attacks continuing across several states, citizens have increasingly questioned the government’s capacity to deliver stability. Atiku’s intervention adds pressure on the administration to shift focus from rhetoric to concrete measures.

Atiku’s criticism underscores a central debate in Nigeria’s governance: whether insecurity and economic hardship are being adequately addressed or merely explained away. His insistence that government must take full responsibility for security and economic wellbeing resonates with citizens who feel the weight of daily challenges. As insecurity and hardship dominate national discourse, the call for solutions rather than blame grows louder.