Atiku camp blasts Babachir, defends ex-VP’s security record

The media office of former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has launched a scathing attack on former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, accusing him of distorting facts and ignoring Atiku’s long-standing record of condemning terrorism, banditry and kidnappings across Nigeria.

In a statement issued on Sunday by Atiku’s media aide, Paul Ibe, the former vice president’s camp dismissed Lawal’s recent criticism of Atiku as baseless and politically motivated.

The statement accused Lawal of attempting to rewrite history and divert attention from allegations surrounding his role in the ADC presidential primary process.

Ibe alleged that Lawal had failed to address accusations that he sought to influence the party’s presidential nomination process and instead resorted to personal attacks against Atiku.

Responding to Lawal’s claim that Atiku had remained silent over attacks by terrorists and bandits in different parts of the country, the Atiku camp said public records showed that the former vice president had consistently condemned violence and expressed solidarity with victims across Nigeria.

According to the statement, Atiku has repeatedly spoken against terrorist attacks, banditry and kidnappings in states such as Benue, Plateau and other parts of the country, while also criticising successive governments over what he described as failures in addressing insecurity.

The media office noted that Atiku had frequently called for reforms of Nigeria’s security architecture, including measures to strengthen state-level security operations and improve collaboration between local communities and security agencies.

It further stated that the former vice president had advocated legislative changes that would enable states to equip their security outfits to complement federal security forces in tackling criminal activities.

The statement also highlighted Atiku’s calls for improved support for victims of violence through psychological assistance, educational opportunities and economic recovery programmes.

According to Ibe, the former vice president recently proposed the establishment of special courts to try terrorism and banditry-related offences, with severe penalties for convicted offenders.

The Atiku camp maintained that the former vice president’s interventions on security issues cut across all regions of the country and were not limited by ethnicity, religion or geography.

The latest exchange follows recent remarks by Lawal questioning Atiku’s response to insecurity and accusing him of failing to sufficiently condemn attacks by armed groups across the country.

The war of words between both political figures comes amid growing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general election.