How Atiku and Obi Politicized Their Reactions to Kaduna Military Mishap

Pathetic and highly regrettable, the accidental killing of about 80 people in the Tudun Buru village of Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna is sobering and unexpected, at any point in time, and as Nigerians and their President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s demand for a full-scale investigation into the killing, the reactions from the 2023 runners-up at the country’s presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Mr. Peter Obi of the Labour Party attempted to find a political intonation into the military inaction, an unusual one to be specific.

Accurately, the two politicians expressed their grievances over the incident which led to the death of about 80 people who gathered in the village to celebrate Maulud Nabiyy (celebration of Prophet Muhammad’s birth) but attempted to attach political intonation with an attempt to abandon the issue and brings in the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who defeated the duo, and other presidential candidates in the February 2023 election.

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar while commiserating with the family of the victims of the accidental killing, attempted to blame the Federal Government of Nigeria for not having “counterinsurgency strategies” to avert such an accident.

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar said, “We need to develop counterinsurgency strategies that will insulate the civilian population from tragic incidents of this nature.”

Likewise, Mr. Peter Obi was trying to wrap political intonation to his condolence statement, he stated “It is regrettable that the problem of insecurity in our nation has persisted for so long that we are now paying such unintended human costs as collateral damage.”

Unfortunately, after both Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Mr. Peter Obi have expressed their condolences, and agreed with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that a full-scale investigation should be carried out on the accidental killing, it is worrisome that the duo, probably out of their political differences with the president, gave conclusion even before a panel is constituted for the investigation they all agreed on.

If not for political commentary, how would Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president of Nigeria claim a country where he was once the second in command, exists with no “counterinsurgency strategies” whereas insurgency is never new to the country?

Unfortunately, insurgency took to the apex during the administration of Atiku’s party, PDP, and the majority of Northern states are being completely freed from the insurgents during the administration of the present ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC).

For Peter Obi, it is unfortunate he always look around where to condemn the government, and fails to proffer solution, even in his little ways as a former State Governor. If not for this, Peter Obi would have waited till an investigation was carried out into the accidental killing, and a report shows the military was unprofessional or found guilty before coming up with a remark that human costs are being paid as collateral damage in an anti-terrorism campaign in a village that has been completely taken over by insurgents.