Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has claimed that the Nigerian government is currently being held captive by criminals operating from within its own ranks. This assertion follows the recent controversy surrounding the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, an entity the presidency claims is fraudulent.
Through his aide, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku argued that the defense offered by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga is an admission of systemic failure rather than a refutation of the allegations. The former vice president expressed disbelief that a private individual could infiltrate the Federal Secretariat, forge official documents, and interact with foreign diplomats without significant help from government insiders.
A major point of contention raised by Atiku is the inclusion of the alleged council in the 2026 Appropriation Act, which reportedly allocated 1.3 billion naira to the group. He questioned how this funding passed through various ministries, legislative committees, and the final budget signing process without detection. He criticized the National Assembly for negligence and challenged the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for their handling of the situation.
Atiku concluded that the government has failed to protect its own integrity and called for a truly independent investigation that ignores political affiliations. He described the situation as a symbol of the broader issues plaguing the Bola Tinubu administration, urging Nigerians to lose faith in a leadership that he characterizes as being consumed by internal decay.
