…Says nation facing ‘full-blown internal crisis’
Former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, has sounded a grave warning over what he describes as Nigeria’s rapid descent into chaos, declaring that the country is facing a full-blown internal crisis marked by worsening insecurity, economic hardship, and failing democratic institutions.
In a statement issued yesterday by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, Atiku said his upcoming visit to the United States will focus squarely on drawing global attention to Nigeria’s deteriorating condition. “Nigeria is facing a full-blown internal crisis, one that can no longer be downplayed, politicized, or explained away”, Atiku said in the statement.
He pointed to relentless violence across the country, from insurgency in the North-East and banditry in the North-West to persistent killings in the Middle-Belt, warning that the Nigerian state is “steadily losing its grip on its most fundamental responsibility: the protection of lives and property”.
Describing the situation as a “pattern of systemic failure,” Atiku said entire communities are being overrun while citizens are left defenseless. Any government that cannot guarantee basic security forfeits the moral basis of its mandate”, he stated.
Beyond insecurity, the former Vice President painted a bleak picture of Nigeria’s economy, describing the hardship facing citizens as “both severe and avoidable”. He cited rising inflation, a weakened naira, and collapsing purchasing power as evidence of what he called poor policy direction and inconsistency. “Nigerians are not just tired, they are being stretched to the limits of endurance”, he stated.
Atiku also raised red flags over the state of Nigeria’s democracy, warning that declining public trust in governance and the electoral system could destabilize the nation further, especially as another election cycle approaches. He cautioned that any attempt to manipulate electoral outcomes would have “serious consequences” for national unity and legitimacy.
Responding to critics who may question his planned international engagement, Atiku said: “Telling the truth about Nigeria is not unpatriotic”. He dismissed claims that speaking to global stakeholders amounts to inviting foreign interference, insisting that Nigeria’s challenges already have international implications.
Sending a direct message to the current administration, Atiku warned against complacency, stressing that leadership is a responsibility, not an entitlement. “Nigerians expect results, not explanations”, he declared, urging the government to urgently reset its priorities and present a credible strategy to tackle insecurity and economic decline.
