Amid worsening insecurity across the country, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate for the 2027 general election, Atiku Abubakar, has lamented that many Nigerians now include ransom payments in their household budgets alongside school fees and other essential expenses.
The former Vice President criticised the security situation under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, accusing the government of reckless borrowing while citizens continue to battle hunger, fear and economic hardship.
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu on Thursday, Atiku said it was disturbing that government officials still speak casually about the nation’s rising debt profile despite the deepening insecurity across the country.
According to him, farmers in several parts of Nigeria can no longer safely access their farmlands because many rural communities have effectively fallen under the control of armed gangs and terrorists.
“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 said.
He noted that the worsening insecurity has contributed to soaring food prices, widespread hunger, malnutrition and growing frustration among Nigerians.
“Atiku added that 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.
Key Highlights:
- Atiku Abubakar said worsening insecurity in Nigeria has become so severe that many families now budget for ransom payments alongside essentials like school fees and food.
- He criticised the administration of Bola Tinubu for continued borrowing despite rising insecurity, hunger, inflation, and economic hardship across the country.
- Atiku claimed farmers can no longer safely access their farmlands because many rural communities are under the control of bandits and terrorists, leading to reduced food production and soaring food prices.
- He stated that road travel in many parts of Nigeria has become dangerous due to kidnappings and attacks, accusing the government of focusing more on image management and propaganda than decisive action on security.
- The ADC presidential candidate argued that government borrowing has not improved citizens’ lives, stressing that Nigerians care more about affordable food, safety, jobs, and economic survival than official economic statistics.
“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.
The ADC presidential candidate also accused the government of relying on propaganda to divert attention from the consequences of what he described as poor economic management.
“It is both astonishing and insulting that at a time when millions of Nigerians can barely afford one meal a day, when parents are withdrawing children from school because of crushing hardship, when businesses are collapsing under unbearable electricity tariffs and inflation, and when entire communities are being overrun by terrorists, bandits and kidnappers, the Presidency is celebrating debt figures as though indebtedness itself were an economic achievement,” he stated.
According to Atiku, responsible borrowing should translate into improved productivity, job creation, critical infrastructure development and better living conditions for citizens, rather than worsening hardship.
“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.
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In Nigeria today, however, citizens see no correlation between the mounting debt profile and improvement in their daily lives,” he added.
He further maintained that Nigerians are more concerned about the cost of living, safety and economic survival than official economic figures presented by government spokespersons.
“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. Sadly, under this administration, the answer to those questions is becoming increasingly bleak,” Atiku said.
