Atiku Abubakar Calls for State of Emergency in Nigeria

Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has urged President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in Nigeria due to escalating security threats from terrorism and banditry. This call follows a recent attack on a school in Kogi State, which Abubakar described as a significant threat to the nation's educational development.

He emphasized that the federal government must take exceptional measures to empower security forces with greater operational freedom to effectively combat these threats. Abubakar clarified that his proposal is not intended to remove elected officials but to allow security personnel to operate decisively without undue political interference.

He noted that repeated attacks on educational institutions create fear and trauma among students and teachers, warning that such incidents have broader implications for schools across the country. To enhance security, Abubakar proposed the establishment of a national guard composed of retired military personnel to support the armed forces and police, which he described as overstretched, and called for stronger intelligence gathering and cooperation with local communities.