Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the worsening insecurity in Benue State, warning that continued attacks on farmers are threatening food production and adding to the cost-of-living crisis in Nigeria.
Atiku made the remarks in a statement shared on Tuesday, describing Benue as the “Food Basket of the Nation” and arguing that the state’s security crisis has consequences far beyond its borders.
Citing figures attributed to Amnesty International, Atiku claimed that 6,896 people were killed in Benue State within the first two years of the Tinubu administration.
He said the figure represents farmers who failed to return from their farms, families displaced from their ancestral communities and communities forced to live in fear.
According to the former vice president, insecurity in Benue is not merely a security challenge but also an economic problem, as farmers driven from their land contribute to reduced food production and higher market prices.
“When Benue cannot farm, Nigeria cannot eat cheaply,” Atiku said, linking insecurity to the rising prices of commodities such as yam, rice, beans, vegetables and meat.
Atiku also spoke from his experience as a farmer, saying his own farms had suffered theft and disruption as a result of insecurity.
He questioned the Federal Government’s handling of resources following the removal of the fuel subsidy, arguing that Nigerians were promised that the savings would provide more funds for development and security.
Atiku also cited figures he attributed to the Nigeria Customs Service, claiming that about ₦34 trillion in import-duty exemption approvals were disclosed in 2025, with a substantial portion reportedly connected to military hardware.
Against this backdrop, he questioned whether Nigerians were seeing the expected security improvements.
“Where is the security? Where are the results?” Atiku asked.
The former vice president said the insecurity crisis could be addressed through a combination of stronger security measures, protection of farmers and livestock owners, punishment of criminals and efforts to promote peaceful coexistence among communities.
He also referenced his previous efforts to broker peace between Tiv and Fulani communities, stressing that criminality should not be viewed through ethnic lines.
“A killer is a killer. A thief is a thief,” he said.
Atiku made the remarks while receiving ADC candidates contesting various elective positions in Benue State.
He urged them to see their political mission as extending beyond winning elections to include protecting lives, restoring livelihoods and reviving the state’s agricultural productivity.
He concluded by calling for a more secure Benue and a reduction in the economic pressures facing Nigerians.
“Tinubu removed the subsidy. Nigerians paid the price. Government got the resources. Benue should not still be paying with blood.”
He added: “Secure Benue. Restore the Food Basket. Make Nigeria affordable again.”
