‘If I Were President, I’d Order Military to Occupy Terrorist-Hit States’ — Atiku
Former vice-president Atiku Abubakar has expressed “deep shock and sadness” over the reported killing of a brigadier general, M. Uba, by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters in Borno State.
General Uba was reportedly killed when terrorists ambushed a convoy of soldiers and Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) operatives on Friday along the Damboa-Wajiroko road as they were transporting military equipment.
Addressing the incident in a post on X on Tuesday, Abubakar described it as a “failure of political leadership.” He accused President Bola Tinubu of focusing more on “suppressing the opposition than fulfilling his role as commander-in-chief.”
Abubakar stated that if he were in power, he would take a different approach.
“If I were president, I would order the military to occupy Borno State or any state under siege by bandits or armed groups until they clear those areas.
“We must care enough for the men and women who put their lives on the line for our sake,” he said.
He criticised the military hierarchy for initially denying the incident and failing to provide a clear account.
“General Musa’s death, along with the loss of troops under his command, is one death too many and signals a bold terrorist resurgence that Nigeria cannot afford,” Abubakar added.
He directly challenged President Tinubu: “To Mr. President: the security of the lives of our people is your primary responsibility, and you must live up to it or be humble enough to admit incompetence and either ask for help or resign.”
Abubakar urged citizens and military leaders to remain hopeful, stating that “even this season shall pass away.”
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