Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice President of Nigeria, has sharply criticized President Bola Tinubu for what he describes as rampant human rights violations across the nation. He voiced his concerns that the President has betrayed the trust of the citizens by permitting the Department of State Services (DSS), police forces, and military personnel to encroach upon the fundamental rights of the populace.
This condemnation was articulated in a statement released by Atiku’s Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu.
The PDP leader expressed outrage over the alarming occurrences of citizens being apprehended in a manner reminiscent of oppressive regimes, often without informing their families.
Atiku highlighted that journalists have borne the brunt of these violations since Tinubu assumed office, facing arrests for the simple act of reporting news and uncovering governmental misconduct.
He remarked, “The troubling rise in enforced disappearances has turned into a national disgrace for a nation that claims to uphold democratic principles. For instance, Daniel Ojukwu from the Foundation for Investigative Journalism went missing on May 1, 2024, and was thought to be kidnapped until it was revealed that he was detained by police under the directive of IGP Kayode Egbetokun.”
“Ojukwu’s only offense was revealing the corruption of a government official currently working within Tinubu’s administration. Additionally, on July 23, the DSS detained Aliyu Sanusi in Sokoto for his involvement in printing and distributing flyers ahead of the #EndBadGovernanceProtest. The arrest and subsequent release of Adejuwon Soyinka, formerly with BBC Pidgin and now the West Africa Regional Editor for The Conversation, further exemplify a disturbing pattern aimed at silencing journalists who dare to speak out against the government.”
Atiku also pointed to the recent arrest of Bristol Tamunobiefiri, a blogger associated with PIDOM Nigeria on X (formerly Twitter). After being held for over two weeks, he was granted what Atiku described as an unattainable administrative bail.
This development is particularly concerning given the Appeal Court’s ruling in EFCC v. Emem Uboh (2022) LPEIR – 57968 (CA), which deemed such bail illegal. Atiku insisted that Bristol should either be promptly charged in court or released immediately.
