Atiku urges Tinubu to cease holding Nigerians responsible for the country's security issues.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticized the President Bola Tinubu-led government for its approach to addressing insecurity and economic hardship, accusing it of trying to deflect responsibility onto the media and ordinary citizens.

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Atiku's Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, issued a statement on Wednesday, in which Atiku expressed alarm over recent remarks from the presidency that suggested many kidnapping incidents occur because citizens ignore police warnings against travelling at night.

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Atiku argued that this line of reasoning implies that Nigerians can only be safe for a limited part of the day, prompting him to ask if the presidency is admitting that the country's economy has been reduced to an eight-hour economy.

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He questioned whether Nigerians are expected to shut down their businesses, abandon legitimate travel, and retreat indoors once the sun sets, emphasizing that this is an unacceptable state of affairs.

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Atiku stated that the primary duty of any government is to protect lives and property, and that citizens do not surrender their freedoms in exchange for curfews imposed by fear.

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He maintained that the prevalence of insecurity across the country is evident in the daily experiences of Nigerians, citing examples such as killings in Benue and Plateau states, bandit attacks in Zamfara, Katsina, and Niger states, as well as recurring kidnappings and terrorism.

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Atiku emphasized that the blame for these incidents belongs squarely with those charged with securing the country, rather than with citizens who are simply going about their daily lives.

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The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress warned that normalizing insecurity by advising citizens to avoid travelling at certain hours would have severe economic consequences, as economies rely on people being able to move freely and conduct lawful activities without fear.

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Atiku also accused the administration of being disconnected from the economic realities facing Nigerians, pointing to rising food prices, worsening inflation, unemployment, and declining purchasing power as evidence of the hardship faced by millions of families.

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He argued that the presidency's attempt to blame the media for highlighting insecurity and economic challenges is misguided, as journalists are simply reporting on the realities already being experienced by citizens.

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Atiku likened blaming journalists for reporting insecurity and hardship to blaming a thermometer for a fever, emphasizing that governments lose credibility when they focus on managing narratives instead of addressing underlying problems.

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He called on the government to focus on providing solutions to the country's problems, rather than trying to manage public perception, stating that Nigerians need results, not explanations for their suffering.

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The statement comes amid growing public concern over the rising cost of living and persistent security challenges across parts of the country, issues that have dominated national discourse since the removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira by the Tinubu-led government.