Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the federal government for prioritising the arrest of protesters over addressing the country’s escalating insecurity.
On Wednesday, Abubakar denounced the recent terrorist attack in Yobe State via his social media page.
According to Yobe police spokesperson Dungus Abdulkarim, the attack on Sunday involved gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram insurgents, who looted and torched buildings in Mafa village, Tarmuwa LGA.
News About Nigeria reports that the assailants killed numerous people and distributed fliers with Arabic text.
A counter-insurgency publication reported that the attack occurred during evening prayers, resulting in 34 fatalities and the placement of explosives along the village path.
On Tuesday, state officials attended a mass burial at Babbangida General Hospital, where 34 bodies were laid to rest.
Following the #EndBadGovernance protest, which took place from August 1 to 10 and demanded government reforms, the police arrested and detained alleged perpetrators for 60 days pending investigation.
Currently, 124 protesters are in custody in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with 10 pleading not guilty to charges including treason and inciting mutiny in a federal high court.
Abubakar responded to these events, stating that the government is more focused on suppressing dissent than addressing pressing issues.
He said, “The atrocity in Yobe is a stark testament to the failure of the current security framework, demanding immediate and comprehensive reform.”
Abubakar further criticised the government’s detachment from the widespread destruction and bloodshed in the North-West and North-Central regions, as well as the turmoil in the South caused by Boko Haram and political discord.
He urged the Tinubu administration to prioritise safeguarding life and property nationwide.
