Abuja: Mr. Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Communications, has accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of playing politics with the recent airstrike on Jilli Market in Borno. Dare’s accusation, made through his X handle account @sundaydareSD, also questioned Atiku’s patriotism.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, in an article titled ‘ATIKU: QUESTIONABLE PATRIOT’, Dare criticized the former Vice President’s attitude, describing it as ‘both disappointing and telling’. He expressed concern over Atiku’s alleged politicization of the airstrikes, stating that it was misleading and undermined the efforts of the armed forces. Dare emphasized that the Nigerian Air Force’s actions were intelligence-led and targeted insurgent positions in the Jilli axis, a location that had been transformed into a logistics hub for terrorist groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP.
Dare argued that the depiction of the military operation as an attack on civilians was reckless and distorted public understandi
ng. He highlighted the contradiction in Atiku’s stance, as the former Vice President had previously criticized the government for its handling of insecurity but was quick to condemn decisive military actions. Dare called for clarity and seriousness in addressing the issue, warning against selective outrage.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Borno Governor, Babagana Zulum, has also confirmed the closure of the Jilli Market five years ago, describing it as a ‘notorious hub’ for insurgents. Zulum reiterated the government’s commitment to collaborating with security agencies to ensure peace and stability in the region. He urged residents to provide credible information to aid ongoing military operations.
Defence Minister Christopher Musa supported the airstrikes, declaring it as part of a new strategy to combat terrorism. Musa warned that anyone providing support to terrorists would be treated as such, emphasizing the government’s resolve to tackle insurgency aggressively.