Atiku Heads To United States For Talks On Nigeria Security Situation

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has confirmed his planned visit to the United States to draw international attention to the worsening insecurity, economic hardship and poor standards of governance in Nigeria.
Atiku’s next engagement will entail talking to policy and institutional actors in the US.
Atiku said in a statement by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, Sunday that the country was in a “full-blown internal crisis” that could no longer be downplayed or politicised.
“From the bloody violence in the North-West and North-East, to the incessant bloodshed in the Middle Belt, and the increasing spread of kidnapping and criminality across the country, Atiku warns that the Nigerian state is gradually losing its grip on its most fundamental task, which is the protection of lives and property.
“His view is this has moved out of isolated incidents and into a pattern of systemic failure. Communities are overwhelmed, livelihoods lost, citizens left to their own devices.
“He believes that any government that cannot provide basic security loses the moral basis of its mandate,” the statement read.
On the economy, Atiku said there was deepening hardship, noting rising inflation, weakened currency and declining purchasing power.
“The collapse of the currency and the rise in inflation have pushed millions into distress, and the policy inconsistency and the lack of strategic direction continue to erode confidence in the economy,” the statement said.
The former vice president has also expressed concern about the state of Nigeria’s democratic institutions, warning that a decline in public confidence in governance, accountability and the electoral process could pose a threat to national stability.
“With the country heading into yet another election cycle, he warns that any effort to undermine transparency or to try to manipulate outcomes will have serious repercussions for both unity and legitimacy,” the statement said.
In response to potential criticism of his intended US engagement, Atiku dismissed suggestions that working with international partners means inviting foreign interference.
“Atiku is clear: to tell the truth about Nigeria is not unpatriotic. He dismisses the notion that working with global partners is equivalent to inviting foreign interference, stressing that Nigeria does not live in a vacuum and cannot feign ignorance of its own internal failures having external consequences.
He said the world is seeing what is happening and the real question is whether Nigerian leaders are prepared to face it honestly.
“He reaffirms that only Nigerians will determine Nigeria’s leadership, but maintains that international partners have a legitimate interest in the stability, governance standards and democratic health of a country as strategically important as Nigeria,” the statement said.
In a message to the current administration, Atiku urged the government to “re-set its priorities urgently,” restore confidence among the people and present a credible strategy to address insecurity and economic challenges.
He also called on Nigerians to be vigilant and hold their leaders accountable, saying real change comes from within.
Nigeria is at a critical juncture, requiring “courage, honesty and decisive leadership” to avert further instability, Atiku said.
The development comes as political activities begin to pick up ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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