Nigeria, Sprinting Towards Disaster – Atiku

Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Thursday, raised a fresh alarm that Nigeria was running on full speed towards disaster, given the rising tensions triggered by separatist groups and the worsening spate of insecurity across the country.

Atiku, who expressed this fear at the public presentation of the book: ‘Remaking Nigeria: Sixty Years, Sixty Voices,’ which held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, said insecurity had not only worsened in the last six years but terrorists and bandits have made Nigeria a haven, just as they have made stupendous wealth from kidnapping for ransom.

“Yes, the Chibok girls had been kidnapped and held in captivity seven years ago. Yes, conflicts between herders and farmers had been with us before 2015. But who would have thought that our country would become a haven for kidnappers and all manner of bandits to the extent that their nefarious activities would become a major industry?

“They have been allowed to operate so openly and brazenly that it would surprise no one if they applied for registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission and listing on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. Five years ago, the Abuja – Kaduna Road was not a virtual no-go area.

The South-East was not a virtual war zone, and Amotekun was not needed to protect lives and property in the South West.

These are among the clearest evidence that the issues that were the focal point of the book that brought us here more than five years ago have become even worse,” he said.