Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called for a full military occupation of Borno and other Nigerian states under siege by terrorists and armed groups, following the killing of Brigadier General Musa Uba in an ambush reportedly carried out by insurgents.
In a statement posted on his social media handles and released by his media office on Monday, Atiku said he was “deeply saddened, extremely shocked and disturbed” by news of the senior officer’s death and criticised the federal government for what he described as inadequate transparency around the incident.
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Initial reports had suggested that the general was not killed, but his death later became clear alongside those of several troops under his command. Atiku described the conflicting information as a sign of leadership failure.
“This for me is unequivocally a failure of political leadership as the President seems more interested in decimating the opposition by all means possible, while forgetting his crucial role as Commander-in-Chief of our Armed Forces,” the former vice president said.
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He warned that the killing marked a dangerous resurgence of terrorist activities that Nigeria could not afford to ignore. He urged citizens and military leaders to “take heart,” expressing confidence that “even this season shall pass away.”
Addressing President Bola Tinubu directly, Atiku said securing the lives of Nigerians remained the president’s primary responsibility. “You must live up to it or be humble enough to admit incompetence and either ask for help or resign,” he said.
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said that if he were president, he would order the armed forces to take full control of Borno State or any other area overrun by bandits or insurgents until such territories were fully cleared.
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“We must care enough for the men and women who put their lives on the line for our sake,” he added.
Atiku extended his condolences to the Nigerian Armed Forces, the family of the slain general, and all Nigerians affected by the renewed wave of insecurity. He expressed hope that “this dark period” would pass sooner rather than later.
The general’s death has reignited conversations about Nigeria’s prolonged counterinsurgency operations, the safety of frontline troops, and calls for a more robust response to insecurity across the country.
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