How @atiku's @AUNigeria is impacting Northern Nigeria By Margee Ensign @vanguardngrnews "The American University of Nigeria granted scholarships to twenty-one young women who escaped Boko Haram militants. Thus, even before Boko Haram intensified its rampage of terrorizing regional communities with bombings and kidnappings, we had developed strong and trusting relationships with local leaders. They were the ones to alert us about the intensifying threat of Boko Haram not far from us... When later in 2014 close to 300,000 refugees poured into our small city to flee Boko Haram’s escalating destruction of mass bombings and kidnappings, we had strong relationships to draw upon and an institutional structure to help us feed and house the refugees. When a local university north of us was destroyed, we opened our classrooms and residence halls to its students so that they could successfully conclude their school year. Even today, very far away from Yola in northern Nigeria, I remember with nostalgia something one of my Nigerian students from the town of Chibok told me. After rescuing her from her Boko Haram kidnappers, we brought her to the American University of Nigeria. Upon graduation, she said words that I carry with me every day: “Education gives me the wings to fly, the power to fight, and the voice to speak.”" share.google/mSakLSjl2qPoaTS…

PRESS RELEASE Atiku calls for declaration of emergency on security *Says attacks on schools may cripple education, stall development The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar has decried the worsening state of insecurity in Nigeria, expressing concern that the terrorists and bandits attacks are now targeted at not only wasting precious human lives, but crippling the country's education. Atiku raised the concern on Wednesday following the latest attack on Government Secondary School, Iluke Bunu, Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State in which three persons, including the Vice Principal of the school, and two others were killed while several students were abducted. Recall that a total of not less than 90 school children were on May 15 abducted in Oriire, Oyo State and Mussa, Borno State and the principal in the Oriire school beheaded. The ADC presidential candidate in the 2027 election is worried that there is a pattern in these attacks aimed at crippling our education sector and consequently stalling our development strides. The former Vice President therefore, calls for the declaration of emergency on security in Nigeria. He, however, noted that the envisaged state of emergency on security does not include the suspension of elected officials of states. According to the Waziri Adamawa, the latest attack on a school in Kogi State is a direct threat to education and a colossal national embarrassment that demands urgent and drastic action. "It is high time the Federal Government declared a statement of emergency to empower commanders with more freedom to act decisively and proactively with these monsters in the county," Atiku said. "I am not in any way calling for the removal of elected officials, but rather advocating for commanders to have freer hand to protect their battlefield decisions from political interference." Hide quoted text The ADC Presidential candidate explained that "Nigeria is facing worsening insecurity that demands extraordinary measures, including state of emergency. "Learning can only take place in a safe environment and terrorist attacks on schools are increasingly making our schools dangerous places. Worse still, the anxiety and trauma that follow terrorist attacks on schools will inevitably make the school environment unsafe for both students and teachers. "Under no circumstances, should we allow terrorists or bandits to destroy our way of life and stop our children from going to school." The former Vice President added that "a terrorist attack on one one school is a threat to schools elsewhere across the country because of its domino-effect." As part of the drastic measures to address these security challenges, Atiku advocated the establishment of national guards made up of retired veterans to complement the efforts of our military and police that are clearly overstretched and under-manned." He also called for improved human intelligence on terrorist movements and greater community vigilance, explaining that "our communities have a great role to play in information sharing and eternal vigilance." Signed: Atiku Media Office Abuja 10 June, 2026. Photo illustration is from the archives.

PRESS RELEASE @atiku Sets Agenda for Proposed US Visit Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar has declared that his forthcoming engagement with policy and institutional stakeholders in the United States will be driven by one overriding concern: the alarming deterioration of security, governance, and economic stability in Nigeria. Atiku states plainly that Nigeria is facing a full-blown internal crisis, one that can no longer be downplayed, politicized, or explained away. From the ravaging violence in the North-West and North-East, to the persistent bloodshed in the Middle Belt, and the growing spread of kidnapping and criminality across the country, Atiku warns that the Nigerian state is steadily losing its grip on its most fundamental responsibility: the protection of lives and property. According to him, the situation has moved beyond isolated incidents to a pattern of systemic failure. Communities are being overrun, livelihoods destroyed, and citizens abandoned to their fate. He argues that any government that cannot guarantee basic security forfeits the moral basis of its mandate. The former Vice President also points to the deepening economic hardship confronting Nigerians, describing it as both severe and avoidable. He notes that rising inflation, a weakened currency, and collapsing purchasing power have pushed millions into distress, while policy inconsistency and lack of strategic direction continue to erode confidence in the economy. In his words, Nigerians are not just tired, they are being stretched to the limits of endurance. Atiku further raises concerns about the state of Nigeria’s democratic institutions, warning that declining public confidence in governance, accountability, and the electoral process poses a direct threat to national stability. As the country moves toward another election cycle, he insists that any attempt to undermine transparency or manipulate outcomes will carry serious consequences for both unity and legitimacy. Addressing the anticipated criticism of his international engagement, Atiku is unequivocal: telling the truth about Nigeria is not unpatriotic. He rejects the notion that engaging global partners amounts to inviting foreign interference, stressing that Nigeria does not exist in isolation and cannot pretend that its internal failures have no external implications. He maintains that the world already sees what is happening; the real question is whether Nigerian leaders are prepared to confront it honestly. He reiterates that only Nigerians will decide Nigeria’s leadership, but insists that international partners have a legitimate interest in the stability, governance standards, and democratic health of a country as strategically important as Nigeria. According to him, responsible leadership does not hide from scrutiny, it welcomes it as a pathway to improvement. In a direct message to the current administration, Atiku warns against complacency and deflection. He states that power is not an entitlement but a responsibility, and that Nigerians expect results, not explanations. He calls on the government to urgently reset its priorities, restore public confidence, and demonstrate a clear, credible strategy for addressing insecurity and economic decline. To Nigerians, he delivers a blunt reminder: no nation survives in silence. He urges citizens to remain vigilant, engaged, and unyielding in their demand for accountability, emphasizing that real change will not come from outside the country but from the collective will of its people. Atiku concludes that Nigeria stands at a critical juncture. The choice, he says, is between confronting hard truths now or allowing the country to drift further into instability. For him, the moment demands courage, honesty, and decisive leadership, anything less would be a disservice to the nation and its future. Signed: Paul Ibe Media Adviser to Atiku Abubakar Vice President of Nigeria, 1999-2007 Abuja 03 May, 2026.