TheCable

Atiku Abubakar, a former vice-president of Nigeria, has continued his lamentation over the spate of attacks perpetrated by Boko Haram insurgents.

Atiku, who publicly criticised the government last week, said it has now reached the extent when international assistance is required to tackle insurgency.

“I call upon the international community to help us. I am making a special appeal to countries with sufficient knowhow and experience in tackling terrorism to increase their assistance to us,” he said.

“Nigeria needs the world’s support. The world must not abandon Nigerians in our time of need.

“The relief agencies that are already working here should please double their efforts. And all people of goodwill should help in any way they can and to do more than they have been doing to alleviate the pain and suffering that we Nigerians face through this insurgency.

“At a time when we are constantly bombarded with horror stories of ugly events elsewhere in the world – here in West Africa, we are faced with the Ebola epidemic and other trouble spots – I draw your attention to a humanitarian crisis which is also a matter of international security.”

He wondered how the situation degenerated to the present level, noting that residents of communities in the northeast have been experienced to untold hardship.

“Things should never have got to this stage. Thousands of Nigerians have had to flee their homes. Their houses and farms have been destroyed,” he said.

“They do not know where to go or how to restart their lives. That is the degree to which we have come in this country. I say this with reluctance and with shame.

“The situation in which we find ourselves today is grave. Much of Borno, and the north of Adamawa and Yobe states is already at the mercy of the terrorists. It started a few months ago with Bama, which is nearly 400 kilometres from Yola, capital of Adamawa State.”