Atiku condemns journalists, others’ kidnap, urges more intelligence 

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has again condemned the escalating state of insecurity in the country, calling on security agencies to act decisively to secure Nigerians.

The former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 elections also charged the federal government to prioritise intelligence gathering and sharing to defeat the scourge.

Atiku stated this in Abuja via a press release signed and released for publication by his media office on Sunday, following the kidnap of The Nation and Blueprint newspapers’ Kaduna correspondents and members of their families, Saturday night.

The despicable act according to the Turakin Adamawa, underscored the dire state of the nation’s security and the gross failure of leaders to protect its citizens.

It reads, “In these perilous times, the courageous sentinels of truth, our journalists, stand as beacons of light, unwavering in their duty to hold power accountable.

“Yet, they find themselves besieged not only by the terror of abductors but also by a government that continues to assault their freedom through arrests and detention.

“This travesty is the kidnap of 78-year-old Mr Takai Shamang, President and Founder of Gantys Aid for Widows, Orphans and Needy Foundation (GAWON) and former President General of the National Union of Electricity and Gas Workers (now known as the National Union of Electricity Employees) between 1982 and 1989.

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“This despicable act underscores the dire state of our nation’s security and the gross failure of our leaders to protect its citizens.

“These abductions are damning indictments of our leaders’ failure to secure the safety of citizens and an intolerable breach of press freedom (as it relates to the journalists).