The Presidency and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar have clashed over Nigeria’s worsening security situation, following a report that 5,091 people were killed in violent incidents across the country over a three-month period.

Atiku, the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate for the 2027 election, described the death toll as evidence of the failure of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to protect Nigerians.

But the Presidency rejected the criticism, arguing that Atiku ignored the security agencies’ reported successes in tackling terrorism, banditry and kidnapping.

The latest exchange was triggered by a statement issued by Atiku’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, in which the former Vice President said the reported killings amounted to an indictment of the Tinubu administration.

The figure was attributed to SBM Intelligence, a Lagos-based geopolitical research and strategic communications consultancy that tracks violent deaths, kidnappings and other security incidents in Nigeria.

Atiku said the deaths represented more than statistics, arguing that each case involved a Nigerian killed, a family plunged into mourning and communities left in fear.

He also blamed what he described as fiscal indiscipline, wasteful spending and poor implementation of appropriated funds for weaknesses in the country’s security response.

According to Atiku, security agencies need adequate equipment, operational funding, allowances and welfare for personnel and their families to effectively confront terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes.

He further argued that the reported death toll provided grounds for a change in leadership, saying the government had failed in what he described as its most basic constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property.

Presidency cites security operations

Responding, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, said Atiku’s assessment failed to account for the security agencies’ reported successes.

Ajayi said official figures showed that security agencies had killed between 13,000 and 20,000 terrorists during the same three-month period.

He also claimed that at least 10,000 Nigerians had been rescued from captivity through operations involving the military, police and Department of State Services.

Ajayi pointed to the rescue of 308 Nigerians abducted in Kwara and Niger states as one of the recent operations.

He accused Atiku of deliberately focusing on insecurity while ignoring the reported arrests, rescues and military operations against armed groups.

The presidential aide also criticised Atiku’s approach as a former Vice President, saying he should act as a statesman rather than use the security situation to promote what he described as fear and hopelessness.

Ajayi further predicted that Tinubu would win the 2027 presidential election, arguing that the administration was making progress against insecurity and insurgency.

Police dispute Atiku’s assessment

The Nigeria Police Force also challenged Atiku’s assessment of the security situation.

Force spokesperson Ani Iniedu said available security intelligence indicated that violent crime had declined significantly over the previous six months.

He said he did not want to engage in an argument with Atiku but urged Nigerians to examine available security data.

The Federal Government has recently highlighted several security operations, including the rescue of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State after 56 days in captivity and the rescue of 308 abducted Nigerians in Kwara and Niger states.

The government has also said security agencies are strengthening early-warning systems and community-level intelligence gathering to prevent mass abductions.

The dispute comes as political activity begins to build ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with Atiku positioning himself as a major opposition challenger to Tinubu.