By Laraba MUREY
Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the renewed attacks in Plateau State that claimed many innocent lives on Sunday.
No fewer than 47 people were killed on Sunday in Zike community in Kimakpa area of Kwali district of Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The deadly Sunday attack took place over a week after a similar attack in Bokkos Local Government Area in which over 60 people were also killed and properties destroyed.
Atiku in a statement by his media aide, Mr. Paul Ibe, also flayed the upsurge in terrorist attacks in Borno State, which has led to the loss of lives and territories to Boko Haram insurgents.
Governor Babagana Zulum and Shehu of Borno Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-Kanemi had expressed worry over the resurgence of Boko Haram in the state.
The former Vice President said that these manifestations are indicative of the woeful failure of both the security policy and infrastructure of the Tinubu-led administration.
He, therefore, called on the Federal Government to take tougher proactive measures to deal with what he called “these disgraceful incidents that challenge our national security.”
Reacting to the spate of insecurity, which has attained endemic levels in the country, Atiku explained that “every sincere Nigerian should be worried about the frequency and impunity with which terrorists and bandits attack innocent people in the country, especially in Northern Nigeria, which has become the epicenter of terrorist violence in the country.”
According to Atiku, the delay in the prosecution of captured terrorists and bandits in custody since 2016 has emboldened the mass murderers to kill with impunity.
“If the government had applied the same energy in the prosecution of terrorists and bandits as it did in the trial of political critics, it would have gone a long way to send a powerful message to the outlaws that there are consequences for mass murder.
“Hundreds of terrorists and bandits have been in custody since 2016 without trial, and the delay in bringing them to justice is demoralizing to our security forces.
“If terrorists and bandits are captured and then are left in custody longer than necessary without trial, it will undermine the efforts and sacrifices of our security forces,” the former vice president explained further.
According to Waziri Adamawa, “our criminal justice system is notoriously slow and as a result, terrorists and bandits are thus encouraged to feel that crime pays.”
However, the former Vice president also blamed community members who serve as informants to armed groups.
He stated that community members have a role to play in their own security by providing intelligence to our security forces about the presence and activities of bandits and terrorists in their midst.
Atiku applauded the rare sacrifices of the security forces in counter-terrorism operations, adding that without public support, the criminals can not succeed.
