Insurgency: Atiku condemns northeast attacks, says achievements against terrorists being cancelled

By John Ogunsemore

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has blamed the Bola Tinubu administration’s “lacklustre posture” for the alleged cancellation of the gains made in the fight against the Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast.

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said this while condemning Saturday’s terror attacks in Gwoza, Borno State, in a statement he signed and released on Sunday.

The Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) said that 18 persons were killed when four suicide bombers set off improvised explosive devices (IEDs) at different locations in Gwoza.

The attacks, among the deadliest reported in the Borno State in recent months, also recorded over 30 injured.

In his reaction, Atiku described the attacks as a “sad development”.

He said, “It is a sad development that the ugly incidents of terrorism are resurfacing and, indeed, metastasising in the North-East.

“The reported attack by suicide bombers at a wedding reception, funeral procession, and a hospital on Saturday stands condemned.

“It is unfortunate that much of the pushback that had been achieved against the Boko Haram terror sect are being cancelled, owing mainly to the government’s lacklustre posture to hold firmly on the frontline.”

He called on federal authorities to wake up to their responsibility and ensure that the Northeast does not slide back into a theatre of terrorism and extreme violence.

“My condolences go to the families of victims of these attacks, and it is my prayer that God grants a peaceful repose to the souls of the departed,” the former vice president added.