Atiku Abubakar, the 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, on Sunday rejected the accusation by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, that he had ignored victims of violence in Nigeria.

Stressing that Lawal’s claims are untrue, Atiku said that, contrary to the allegation, he attended a church thanksgiving service in the Kagoro area of Southern Kaduna to show support for the grieving community and share in the pain of families affected by the violence.

In a statement titled, “From Kagoro to Chibok: The Atiku Babachir Lawal Refuses to See,” signed by his spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, the former Vice President said that when tragedy struck the people of Kagoro in Southern Kaduna, he did not ask whether the victims were Christians or Muslims, northerners or southerners, Fulani or non-Fulani; instead, he stood with them.

He stated that over the years, he has consistently condemned terrorism, banditry, kidnappings, communal violence, attacks on Christian communities, attacks on Muslim communities, and other forms of insecurity across Nigeria.

According to the statement, “The problem of banditry in Northern Nigeria is very real. Thousands have been killed. Communities have been displaced. Farmers have abandoned their lands. Families are now budgeting for ransom payments just as they budget for school fees. Using that tragedy to blame an entire ethnic group is both intellectually lazy and morally wrong.

“There is an irony here that Mr. Lawal appears unwilling to confront. The same ethnic group he now speaks of with so much suspicion once gave him tremendous support when one of its most prominent members, Muhammadu Buhari, appointed him to the highest office he would ever hold in public service as Secretary to the Government of the Federation. At no point during that appointment did Mr. Lawal object to the fact that a Fulani man elevated him to such a prominent national position.

“He accepted the trust, the office, and the privileges that came with it. It is therefore strange and unfortunate that he now seeks to condemn an entire ethnic group simply because another Fulani man, Atiku Abubakar, seeks to become president through a democratic process. Such selective outrage is neither fair nor credible.

“The facts also contradict his attempt to portray Atiku as indifferent to the suffering of people across ethnic and religious divides. When the people of Kagoro in Southern Kaduna suffered a devastating tragedy, Atiku Abubakar did not ask whether the victims belonged to a particular ethnic group, religion, or background.

“He attended a church thanksgiving service to identify with the people, share the pain of grieving families, and support a hurting community. That is how a leader behaves when he sees Nigerians as fellow citizens rather than as members of competing ethnic groups. It is difficult to reconcile Babachir’s portrayal of Atiku with the public record of a man who has consistently worked to unite people across religious and ethnic lines during periods of national crisis.

“Babachir further questioned why Atiku has not spoken about victims of violent attacks across the country. This accusation collapses under the weight of readily available evidence. For years, Atiku Abubakar has consistently condemned terrorism, banditry, mass killings, attacks on Christian communities, attacks on Muslim communities, kidnappings, and communal conflicts. He has spoken on the tragedies that occurred in Plateau, Benue, Southern Kaduna, Zamfara, Katsina, Borno, Niger, Owo, and many other locations.

“One may disagree with his prescriptions. One may even question whether statements alone are sufficient. But to claim that he has remained silent is simply incorrect.”

Troops of Operation Enduring Peace have foiled multiple kidnap attempts and rescued victims across Plateau and Kaduna states.

This was disclosed in a statement on Sunday by the operation’s spokesman, Chinonso Oteh, who said the successful operations were conducted within the last 48 hours.

According to him, the swift interventions underscore the military’s unwavering commitment to maintaining security and ensuring the safety of commuters and residents within the Operation Enduring Peace Joint Operations Area.

“​At Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, troops of Sector 6 deployed in Sopp District responded to reports of suspected kidnappers who blocked the highway along the Hawan Kibo–Rafin Sayin axis at approximately 12:30am of 5 June 2026. 

“Upon arrival at the scene, the tactical team discovered an ash-coloured Honda vehicle with registration number APP-93CF abandoned in the middle of the road,” he added.

Mr Oteh added that the troops launched a thorough search-and-rescue operation in the surrounding bushes, which led to the successful rescue of six kidnapped passengers.

“The rescued individuals revealed that they had boarded the commercial vehicle from Lafiya, Nasarawa State, and were bound for Jos. While these victims are safe, the driver of the vehicle remains missing, and troops are maintaining an active search to locate and rescue him,” he said.

Similarly, troops of Sector 5 operating in Bokkos recorded another success against criminal elements in the Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State.

“Responding to an urgent distress call from Faggem Village on June 5, 2026, troops swiftly mobilised and foiled an ongoing abduction attempt, as the operational pressure forced the criminals to abandon their targets and fled into nearby forest,” the statement added. 

Mr Oteh said the pursuit enabled troops to rescue a pastor and his wife from the kidnappers.

“The couple, who sustained injuries during the initial assault by the criminals, were promptly evacuated by the troops to Bokkos medical clinic for treatment,” he said.

He added that a manhunt to track down the fleeing suspects had been launched.

Also, in Ungwan Gora, Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State, troops of Sector 7 were deployed in the early hours of Saturday, June 6, 2026, following reports of terrorists blocking the highway between Rafi Tagwai and Angwan Dariya.

According to him, upon arrival, the troops discovered that the terrorists kidnapped some passengers travelling in a commercial vehicle.

He said eight empty 7.62mm special ammunition cartridges were recovered at the scene, after which troops immediately plunged into the adjoining forest on a rescue mission.

“The pursuit yielded immediate results as troops rescued two injured passengers while efforts are currently ongoing to rescue other kidnapped occupants of the vehicle. 

“The rescued passengers were swiftly evacuated to a nearby hospital in Fadan Karshi District for medical attention,” he said.