Atiku to Visit US Over Nigeria’s Insecurity, Economic Concerns – Aide

Former Nigerian Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, is expected to travel to the United States in a move aimed at drawing international attention to Nigeria’s escalating insecurity and worsening economic conditions, according to his media office.

His Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, confirmed the planned visit on Sunday, stating that Atiku intends to engage with policy and institutional stakeholders during the trip.

The former presidential candidate is said to believe that Nigeria is facing what he describes as a deepening internal crisis that requires broader international awareness and engagement. His concerns, according to the statement, centre on rising violence across several regions, including the North-West, North-East, and the Middle Belt, as well as increasing incidents of kidnapping nationwide.

Atiku also raised alarm over the country’s economic outlook, citing inflation, currency depreciation, and declining purchasing power as factors worsening living conditions for citizens. He argued that policy inconsistencies and weak economic direction have continued to undermine public confidence.

“Communities are being overrun, livelihoods destroyed, and citizens abandoned to their fate,” he was quoted as saying, warning that insecurity has become systemic rather than isolated.

He further maintained that any government unable to guarantee security risks losing legitimacy, while also cautioning against attempts to undermine electoral transparency ahead of the next election cycle.

Responding to concerns over his planned engagement abroad, Atiku insisted that “telling the truth about Nigeria is not unpatriotic,” adding that international partners have legitimate interests in Nigeria’s stability and democratic governance.

He emphasised that while only Nigerians will determine their leadership, global stakeholders cannot ignore developments in a country he described as strategically important.

According to him, responsible leadership should not avoid scrutiny but rather embrace it as a means of strengthening governance and accountability.

The planned visit comes amid heightened political debate over security challenges and economic management in Africa’s most populous nation.

Source: LEADERSHIP