Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar voiced concern on Thursday with security authorities’ inability to stop the wave of killings in Plateau State.
He was responding to Wednesday’s death of 30 persons by armed men in Kwahaslalek village, Mangu local government area of the state.
The attackers invaded the village despite a 24-hour curfew imposed on the area by Governor Caleb Mutfwang.
In a statement posted on his X handle, the ex-vice-president condemned the security agencies’ “lack of anticipation and preventive measures.”
He said: “Our security agencies must exhibit a higher degree of proactiveness, particularly in light of the recurring incidents of banditry in Plateau and across various parts of the country.
“The apparent lack of anticipation and preventive measures against such crises is a matter of grave concern. It is high time that our security forces rise to the occasion, ensuring the safety and well-being of our citizens.
“Even as I call for peace, I stand in solidarity with the victims and their families during this difficult time. Let us all come together to ensure that such tragedies are not repeated.”
Atiku appealed for peace, encouraged security authorities to do more to protect Nigerians’ lives, and expressed his sympathies to the victims’ families.
“I am deeply saddened by the violence and killings in the Mangu local government of Plateau state despite the imposition of a 24-hour curfew.
“This heinous act of violence, where innocent lives are being brutally snatched away, homes set ablaze, and communities thrown into chaos, is a direct affront to the values of peace and unity that we hold dear,” he added.