Politics
THE Atiku Media Office has criticized former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, over remarks concerning former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s position on insecurity in Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, the office described Lawal’s comments as an attempt to distort Atiku’s longstanding record of condemning terrorism, banditry, kidnappings and other violent crimes across the country.
The statement, signed by Mr. Paul Ibe, said that rather than addressing allegations surrounding his role in recent political developments within the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Lawal had resorted to attacking Atiku personally.
According to Ibe, Atiku has consistently spoken against terrorist attacks and expressed sympathy for affected communities regardless of their location or ethnic composition.
He noted that the former vice president had repeatedly criticized the Federal Government over what he described as the worsening security situation and had called for more proactive measures to address the challenge.
The statement further said Atiku had advocated reforms to Nigeria’s security architecture, including legislation that would empower states to equip and strengthen local security outfits to support federal agencies.
It added that Atiku had also encouraged communities to cooperate with security agencies by providing intelligence and refusing to collaborate with criminal groups.
According to the statement, the former vice president has proposed the establishment of a National Victims and Survivors Support Framework to provide psychological, educational and economic support to victims of violent attacks.
The media office also said Atiku had called for the creation of special courts to handle terrorism-related cases and ensure speedy prosecution of offenders.
Ibe maintained that public records and media reports showed that Atiku had consistently condemned attacks in various parts of the country, including Benue, Plateau, Borno, Kaduna and other states.
He urged Lawal to review Atiku’s numerous public statements and policy recommendations on insecurity before making further comments on the issue.
F.O
Tags: Atiku Babachir Lawal insecurity