Former Nigerian Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has strongly condemned the tragic death of Nabeeha Al-Kadriyar, who fell victim to her abductors in Abuja. In a statement shared on his official social media handle on Sunday, Atiku underscored the urgent need for a comprehensive overhaul of the country’s security architecture to effectively combat the unchecked activities of kidnappers and bandits.

Atiku called on security agencies to escalate their efforts in rescuing the remaining hostages held captive by the abductors. Expressing his deep sorrow over the brutal murder of Nabeeha, who had been abducted along with her siblings and held for nearly two weeks, Atiku emphasized the alarming reality that criminal elements, such as kidnappers and bandits, continue to operate with impunity in Nigeria.

“The security architecture needs to be rejigged to the extent that it stems the free rein of criminal elements and guarantees the safety of lives and property,” Atiku asserted in his statement. He urged security agencies to intensify their actions to secure the release of the other hostages still in captivity.

The tragic incident occurred just two weeks ago when bandits abducted Alhaji Mansoor Al-Kadriyar and his six children in the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory. Nabeeha, a 400-level biological science student at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, was among the six children. The kidnappers had initially demanded a ransom of N60 million, which was later increased to N100 million after Nabeeha’s murder.

Nigerians on social media have expressed outrage over the incident, demanding justice for Nabeeha and the release of her remaining siblings. The Nigeria Police Force, through its spokesperson Olumuyiwa Adejobi, assured the public that efforts were underway to rescue the abducted individuals. Adejobi urged citizens to provide any relevant information that could aid in the safe rescue of the victims.