Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned Nigeria’s worsening insecurity following the death of former House of Representatives member Agba Anas Adamu, who reportedly died while in the custody of abductors along the Abuja–Kaduna highway.
Adamu was said to have been kidnapped on May 3, 2026, and died nine days later despite efforts by his family to secure his release.
In a statement issued by his aide, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described the incident as a reflection of what he called the collapse of security under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“Let us be brutally honest: Nigeria is under siege, and the Tinubu administration appears either overwhelmed, indifferent or dangerously incompetent in the face of this national emergency,” Atiku said.
He said the abduction and death of a former federal lawmaker on a major highway underscored the vulnerability of ordinary citizens.
“When a former member of the National Assembly can be abducted on one of the country’s most strategic highways and die in captivity, what hope remains for the ordinary Nigerian?” he asked.
Atiku said kidnappings and violent attacks had become a pattern nationwide, rather than isolated incidents.
“Nigerians are being kidnapped from highways, farms, communities and even their homes, while the government continues to issue sterile statements,” he said.
He added that insecurity had become a national emergency affecting daily life and economic activity.
“Citizens now travel with prayers instead of protection. Families sleep with one eye open,” he said.
The former vice president said any government unable to secure major highways had failed in its primary duty.
“A government that cannot secure its highways cannot claim to govern,” he said.
He also cited persistent attacks along the Abuja–Kaduna corridor, describing the route as a “theatre of terror” despite repeated government assurances.
Atiku called on the federal government to urgently clarify its security strategy and take more decisive action against banditry and kidnapping.
“Nigerians deserve answers. What exactly is the security strategy of this administration?” he asked.
He extended condolences to Adamu’s family and called for the situation to be treated as a national emergency requiring immediate intervention.
