The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar has condemned the killing of at least 30 residents in Kauru LGA of Kaduna state, calling for proactive measures to prevent further attacks on vulnerable communities.
Gunmen invaded the area at about 1am on Monday, opening fire indiscriminately on residents.
Amnesty International said the assailants pursued villagers who fled into the bush and killed dozens of them, adding that many residents were still missing with more bodies being recovered from homes and nearby farms.
The organisation described the attack as one of the deadliest recorded in villages in southern Kaduna and blamed the authorities for failing to protect communities and bring perpetrators to justice.
In a statement issued on Monday by Phrank Shaibu, his senior special assistant on public communication, Atiku described the latest killings as “heartbreaking and unacceptable”.
He said the attack was another indication of the Tinubu administration’s failure to fulfil its constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property.
“The reported killing of scores of innocent Nigerians in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State is heartbreaking and unacceptable,” the statement reads.
“Every life lost is a painful indictment of a government that has repeatedly promised security but continues to preside over an expanding landscape of bloodshed.
“No nation can claim progress when its citizens are hunted down in their homes and communities by criminals who operate with such frightening impunity.”
The former vice-president said Nigerians need effective security rather than what he described as external praise.
“The people of Southern Kaduna—and indeed all Nigerians—do not need letters of praise from foreign capitals,” he said.
“They need security. They need to sleep without fear, travel without anxiety, cultivate their farms in peace and raise their children without the constant threat of terrorists, bandits and other violent criminals.”
Atiku said the latest attack underscores the need for a comprehensive review of the country’s security architecture.
He called for intelligence-driven security operations, the swift arrest and prosecution of those responsible for violent attacks, and proactive measures to prevent similar incidents.
The former vice-president also extended his condolences to the families of those killed and wished those injured a speedy recovery.
He urged security agencies to identify and prosecute those behind the attack while strengthening security around vulnerable communities as the country approaches another election cycle.
“History will not remember how many letters of commendation a government claimed to have received,” he added.
“It will remember whether it protected its people when they needed protection the most. Today, the blood of innocent Nigerians speaks far louder than any unverified claim of international praise.”