Dare Babalola
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has described the recent massacres in parts of Kwara, Katsina, and Benue as a “damning confirmation” that Nigeria has descended into a killing field.
In a statement on Thursday, the former presidential candidate expressed deep pain over the killings, saying the scale and frequency of the attacks expose a catastrophic failure of the state to protect its citizens.
“The reported massacres in parts of Kwara, Katsina and Benue are a damning confirmation that Nigeria has descended into a killing field. The scale and frequency of these attacks expose a catastrophic failure of the state to protect the lives of its citizens, especially the most vulnerable,” Atiku said.
He emphasised that empty condemnations after mass burials are no longer acceptable, stressing that security must be proactive, deliberate, and preventive, not reactive.
“Communities repeatedly attacked must not be left as open hunting grounds for criminals,” he added.
Atiku called on the Federal Government, states, and communities to act decisively and in concert to end the bloodletting, saying, “The murder of even one Nigerian is an unforgivable failure.”
Gunmen have killed nearly 200 people in separate attacks in Kwara, Katsina, and Benue states in Nigeria.
In Kwara, the attackers, believed to be jihadists, stormed Woro village, killing at least 170 people, burning houses, and looting shops.
The victims were reportedly rounded up, had their hands tied behind their backs, and were executed. The attack has been described as one of the deadliest in the region in recent times.
Earlier, the Nigerian government deployed troops to the affected areas and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.
