Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has taken a swipe at Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, over reports of repeated robbery incidents in the neighbourhood where the governor’s private residence is located.
Atiku questioned the state’s security priorities, alleging that while armed policemen and roadblocks provide heavy protection around the governor’s home in Calabar, residents living within the same estate continue to experience burglary and theft.
The former vice-president raised the concerns in a post on his official X account on Monday, citing complaints from residents who reportedly lost valuable household items to thieves.
According to him, one resident had an air conditioner and a freezer stolen, while two other houses on a nearby street were allegedly burgled the previous week.
Atiku described the situation as a troubling example of unequal security arrangements, arguing that ordinary citizens should receive the same attention given to those in positions of authority.
He also questioned why Governor Otu was still operating from his private residence almost three years into his administration, noting that the official Government House was reportedly undergoing renovation.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain further challenged the state government’s ability to tackle insecurity in rural communities if residents living close to the governor’s heavily guarded residence could not enjoy adequate protection.
Atiku used the development to highlight his proposed security reforms, promising to make policing more focused on protecting citizens rather than serving the interests of political leaders.
He said his proposed administration would work towards increasing the number of police officers to meet the international benchmark of one officer for every 450 people.
He also called for community-based security and intelligence networks that would allow residents to report suspicious movements and alert security agencies before criminal activities take place.
According to Atiku, security arrangements should extend to every community and neighbourhood, rather than being concentrated around government officials and their residences.
He concluded that a system that only guarantees safety around a governor’s residence while leaving nearby residents vulnerable cannot be considered effective security.
The allegations have once again brought attention to the wider security challenges facing communities across Nigeria, particularly concerns about burglary, armed robbery and the protection of ordinary citizens.
