Atiku: Nigerians Now Budget for Ransom Amid Worsening Insecurity

ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has condemned Nigeria’s worsening insecurity, saying many citizens now budget for ransom the same way they budget for school fees.

In a statement issued Thursday through his media aide Phrank Shaibu, the former vice president blamed the Tinubu administration’s “reckless borrowing” for deepening hunger, fear, and despair. He said farmers can no longer access farmlands in large parts of the country because armed gangs and terrorists have taken control, leading to sharp declines in food production, soaring prices, and rising malnutrition.

Atiku also decried frequent road abductions and village attacks, accusing officials of focusing on “image management” rather than decisive action. He faulted the government’s celebration of debt figures at a time when millions struggle to afford meals, school fees, and electricity, arguing that borrowing should fund productivity and infrastructure, not consumption and waste.

“Nigerians do not care about statistical gymnastics,” Atiku said. “They care about whether food is affordable, whether their children are safe, whether businesses can survive, and whether farmers can return to their lands. Sadly, under this administration, the answer is becoming increasingly bleak.”

Written by Adeyemi Adewale