Thursday, June 4, 2026 - Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the abduction of family members of former Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, describing the incident as a stark reflection of Nigeria’s deepening insecurity crisis.
Reacting to reports that Adelabu’s sister and twin nephews
were kidnapped in Ibadan, Oyo State, Atiku expressed solidarity with the family
and called for urgent action to address the country’s worsening security
challenges.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, June 3, by his Senior
Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the former vice
president said the incident was particularly alarming because it occurred in
broad daylight at Challenge Bus Stop, one of the busiest locations in Ibadan.
According to Atiku, the ability of kidnappers to operate in such a prominent
public space without interception highlights the deteriorating security
situation across the country.
He argued that the attack should serve as a wake-up call for
government officials, noting that insecurity has increasingly affected people
across all social and political divides. “If government officials have become
desensitized to the suffering of ordinary citizens, should they not at least be
alarmed when insecurity reaches the doorstep of one of their own?” he said.
Atiku lamented the growing wave of kidnappings and violent crimes nationwide,
stating that many Nigerian families continue to face trauma as criminal groups
operate with increasing boldness.
“Schoolchildren are abducted from classrooms, farmers are
driven from their lands, travelers are kidnapped on highways, and entire
communities are held hostage by fear. Yet, despite these grim realities, the
government’s response has too often been characterized by excuses, propaganda,
and palliatives rather than decisive action,” he said.
The former vice president stressed that kidnappers do not
discriminate based on political affiliation or social status. “The same
insecurity that has turned the lives of ordinary Nigerians into a daily
nightmare is now knocking on doors many in government may have assumed were
beyond its reach,” he stated.
Atiku said the incident underscored the urgent need for a
more effective security strategy, arguing that government has a fundamental
responsibility to protect lives and property. He expressed concern that many
Nigerians now live in constant fear of abduction and ransom demands, describing
the situation as unacceptable.
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