ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has lamented the worsening insecurity and economic hardship in Nigeria, saying ransom payments have now become a regular household expense for many Nigerians, just like rent and school fees.
Speaking through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, on Thursday, Atiku criticised the administration of President Bola Tinubu for allegedly celebrating debt figures while Nigerians continue to battle insecurity, inflation, hunger and economic hardship.
The former vice president was reacting to recent remarks by the Presidency suggesting that Nigeria’s borrowing profile compares favourably with those of some African countries.
According to him, such comparisons reveal a disconnect between government officials and the daily struggles of ordinary citizens.
Atiku said it was “astonishing and insulting” that the government could celebrate debt statistics at a time when millions of Nigerians can barely afford food, parents are pulling children out of school due to hardship, businesses are shutting down under rising electricity tariffs and inflation, while insecurity continues to spread across the country.
He painted a grim picture of life in many parts of Nigeria, where travelling by road has become dangerous because of kidnappings, banditry and terrorist attacks.
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“In many parts of Nigeria today, travelling by road has become a gamble with death. Families go to bed praying not to receive midnight calls announcing the abduction of loved ones. Villages are sacked almost routinely while those in power appear more concerned about image management than decisive action. What exactly are Nigerians benefiting from all these loans if insecurity continues to spread and the economy continues to suffocate?” he queried.
Atiku further argued that insecurity has severely affected food production nationwide, as many farmers can no longer access their farmlands due to attacks by armed gangs and terrorists.
According to him, the worsening insecurity in farming communities has triggered food shortages, rising prices, hunger and malnutrition across the country.
“Across the country, farmers can no longer safely access their farmlands because vast territories have effectively fallen under the control of armed gangs and terrorists. Food production has declined sharply because rural communities now live under constant threat of attacks, abductions, and killings,” he stated.
The Waziri Adamawa maintained that borrowing is not necessarily bad if funds are invested in productive sectors that improve infrastructure, create jobs and boost citizens’ welfare. However, he accused the current administration of piling up debt without corresponding improvements in the lives of Nigerians.
“No nation becomes prosperous by borrowing to finance consumption, sustain wasteful government lifestyles, and paper over policy failures. Countries that borrow responsibly do so to expand productivity, create jobs, secure critical infrastructure, and improve the welfare of their citizens,” he said.
Atiku also accused the government of relying on propaganda instead of addressing the country’s economic and security challenges directly. He recalled that the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in which he served as vice president, implemented reforms that helped Nigeria exit the Paris Club debt burden and regain international confidence.
He described it as tragic that the current government inherited what he called a struggling but manageable economy and had allegedly plunged the nation deeper into debt, poverty and insecurity within a short period.
The former vice president dismissed the Presidency’s debt comparisons as “statistical gymnastics,” insisting that Nigerians are more concerned about whether food is affordable, whether their children are safe, and whether businesses can survive.
“Nigerians do not care about statistical gymnastics from government spokespersons. They care about whether food is affordable, whether their children are safe, whether businesses can survive, whether farmers can return to their lands, and whether the future still holds any promise,” he said.
Atiku urged the Tinubu administration to stop what he described as propaganda and instead confront Nigeria’s economic and security realities with urgency, sincerity and compassion.