Atiku: Protester Killings Reminiscent of Dictatorship

Atiku condemns the alleged killing of protesters, calling it intolerable and reminiscent of military dictatorship. Read his full statement here.

Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice President has expressed his disapproval of the use of live ammunition on peaceful citizens who were protesting against bad governance in Kano and Abuja.

Heinous and utterly intolerable, Atiku likened the act to the dark days of military dictatorship.

On Saturday, via his X handle, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last general election called upon both government officials and security agencies to create a safe environment where citizens could express their right to protest without concern for safety.

Consequently, he called upon the global community, encompassing both the United Nations and International Criminal Court to vigilantly oversee Nigeria’s condition and ensure that its leaders as well as security mechanisms are held answerable.

Atiku strongly denounces the appalling act of resorting to live bullets on peaceful protesters against poor governance, as observed in Kano and Abuja today. This is entirely unacceptable and evocative of past times under military rule.

Reminding the government and security agencies of their primary responsibility to create a secure environment that enables citizens to engage in protests without apprehension is critical.

The act of security forces shooting at peaceful protesters worsens the situation by turning non-violent protests into disorderly chaos. I can’t accept that it’s our authorities’ intention to stimulate violence.

I implore the international community, comprising of organizations like the United Nations and International Criminal Court, to carefully observe Nigeria’s state of affairs and demand responsibility from its governing body as well as security agencies.

I reiterate my advice to demonstrators, encouraging them to steadfastly uphold their right to nonviolent protest and refuse all forms of aggression.

Individuals who participate in looting and vandalizing both public and private property must face legal action. These actions not only detract from lawful protests but also fuel the opposition’s argument to ban such demonstrations.

AA urges President Tinubu to actively display genuine leadership by promptly tackling and executing the requests of Nigerian citizens.