Barely a week after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu stood before grieving citizens in Jos, Plateau State, promised that the recent wave of violence “will not repeat itself,” Nigeria has been plunged into a deeper crisis.
A relentless surge of attacks across multiple States has left dozens dead, hundreds abducted, entire communities in ruins, sparking fierce condemnation from leading opposition figures who are now demanding immediate action
from the Commander-in-Chief.
The stark contrast between the President’s reassuring words on April 2, 2026, and the bloody reality on the ground has drawn sharp criticism from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the 2023 Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi.
Both leaders took to their social media platform X to express their outrage over what they describe as a profound failure of leadership and a dereliction of the government’s primary duty to protect lives and property.
A Trail of Blood and Broken Vows
The timeline of violence following the President’s promise paints a grim picture of a nation under siege.
Less than 24 hours after Tinubu’s declaration in Jos, another brutal attack
struck Nyamgo Gyel in Jos South Local Government Area, resulting in the deaths of several innocent citizens.
The bloodshed did not stop there. In the days that followed, a coordinated wave of terror swept across the country: in Nasarawa, gunmen attacked Akyawa
and Udege Kasa communities. At least 11 killed; homes burned; families missing and fleeing on foot.
In Zamfara, report has it that mass kidnapping occurred in Kurfa Danya and Kurfan Magaji communities with 150 innocent Nigerians abducted and Borno,
terrorists stormed Chibok. Four officers killed; homes burned down.
Benue Easter Sunday massacre. Over 17 massacred; communities ruined; many
unaccounted for and in Kaduna, weekend attacks, including killings inside churche in Ariko community, Kachia LGA. Several killed; many others abducted.
“Enough of These Hollow Rhetoric”
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar did not mince words in his reaction, calling out the President for his empty assurances.
“I wish to remind President Bola Tinubu to keep to his words that ‘this will not repeat itself.’ It does appear that those words are hollow because barely 72 hours, another attack in Benue State claimed over a dozen lives.
“The Commander-in-Chief should brace
up to the challenges of governance”, Atiku Abubakar says.
He highlighted the rapid succession of attacks, particularly the Benue State massacre that occurred barely 72 hours after the President’s pledge.Atiku further emphasized the dire situation in Nasarawa and Kaduna states, urging the President to move beyond speeches.
“Enough of these hollow rhetoric, Mr. President. It is time to fold your sleeves and get to work,” he stated, while offering his thoughts and prayers to the grieving families.
“A National Emergency”
Peter Obi echoed Atiku’s sentiments, framing the escalating violence as a catastrophic failure of the current administration.
“Yet we were told, ‘This experience will not repeat itself.’ This represents a failure of leadership and responsibility, and sadly, Nigerians are paying for it with their lives. “These attackers are not ghostly figures; our inaction emboldens them”, the former Presidential Candidate, Obi added
He meticulously detailed the series of attacks that followed the President’s April 2 promise, questioning the effectiveness of a government that cannot secure its citizens even in their homes or places of worship.
Obi pointed out the bitter irony that while citizens are being slaughtered in places they should feel safest, the President himself did not venture into the affected communities during his visit.
“How can a President make such a categorical promise and, mere hours
later, the nation continues to count the dead across multiple states?” Obi asked, declaring the situation a “national emergency” where Nigeria is “bleeding, and the situation is worsening and increasingly helpless.”The Demand for Action
The unified outcry from Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi underscores a growing frustration among Nigerians over the persistent insecurity plaguing the nation.
The primary responsibility of any government is the protection of its citizens and the promotion of their
welfare.
As the death toll rises and communities continue to live in fear, the pressure is
mounting on President Tinubu’s Govt to translate its promises into tangible
security measures.
The nation watches and waits to see if the Commander-in-Chief will indeed “fold his sleeves” and confront the ghostly figures terrorizing the country, or if the cycle of hollow promises and tragic bloodshed will continue unabated.
