TheCable

Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 elections, says only “tougher and decisive action” by the government can halt violent attacks in the country.

Abubakar said the violent attacks in many parts of the country will be reduced if the government expands the security architecture.

On Christmas Eve, over 150 people were killed by gunmen in 17 communities in Bokkos, Barkin-Ladi, and Mangu LGAs of Plateau state.

Several houses were destroyed by the gunmen during the attacks, leaving many residents displaced.

After the attacks, the federal government promised that the affected communities and victims would get justice.

In a statement on Sunday by Paul Ibe, media adviser to Abubakar, the former vice-president said the arrest of the perpetrators of the attacks must be fast-tracked to serve as a deterrent to others.

Abubakar said criminal groups should not be allowed to operate without any consequences, adding that “only prompt and decisive action by the government can halt this madness”.

He said the growing calls for the state police stems from the frustration with the government’s inability to tackle the insecurity in the country.

“The spate of these attacks is also a sad testimonial to decadence in the judiciary because a situation where criminals are set free by the court without diligent trials is capable of dampening the morale of law enforcement officers and other security agencies,” the statement reads.

According to the statement, the former vice-president would have visited the affected Plateau community if not “for his absence”.