Atiku decries increasing killings

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has decried the spate of bloodletting in the country saying there was no justification for the killings.

Atiku was reacting to last Thursday’s killing of 88 persons in Kebbi State with scores of others still missing.

In a statement on Monday in Abuja by his media office, the former Vice-President expressed deep concerns about how the activities of criminals had gone unchecked.

He also expressed concerns over the depreciating value of human life in the country and how the citizenry have continued to absorb the shock.

Atiku recalled that a boat mishap occurred in Kebbi State in which 100 people died a few days before the killing of the 88 persons.

“The killings in states like Niger and Imo, with the attack on a police station in Delta State; yesterday’s (Sunday’s) killing of 22 persons in Igangan in Oyo State with yet another reported attack that has claimed scores of lives in Zamfara State today (yesterday),” he said.

The former Vice-President expressed concerns about the negative activities, which he said were stunting the nation’s development as a democracy, cautioning that no nation can witness any meaningful growth in the midst of chaos.

Noting the efforts of the nation’s security agencies in the battle against criminals, Atiku urged them not to rest on their oars “until we regain our country back from those that are determined to pull it into the abyss”.

The former Vice-President urged the government and the security agencies to place greater priority on the protection of lives and property of the citizens, as the first line charge of duty to the people.

He said the fight against insecurity would be Herculean in the areas of human and financial resources, adding: “It’s a course that as a nation we have no choice but to face it headlong.”

Atiku condoled with the families of those who have lost any family member or loved ones and prayed for the repose of the souls of the departed.