Security Withdrawal Sparks Alarm: Ex-APC Chieftain Alleges Plot Against Atiku
By Bala Salihu Dawakin Kudu – Democracy Newsline Newspaper | 2nd November 2025
A fresh wave of political tension swept through the country on Tuesday as former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, alleged an assassination plot against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar following what he described as the suspicious and unjustified withdrawal of all police officers attached to him.
Frank, in a strongly worded statement, said the removal of Atiku’s long-standing security detail—despite his statutory rights as a former Vice President—was “deliberate, dangerous, and politically motivated.” He noted that no administration since 2007 had tampered with Atiku’s security, even at times when he stood as the most vocal opposition figure.
- Advertisement -
“Why now, and why at a time when insecurity is at an all-time high?” he asked, insisting that the timing exposed an ulterior motive. He dismissed claims that the withdrawal was part of a blanket policy affecting all VIPs, describing it as a “smokescreen to isolate and eliminate Atiku ahead of 2027.”
Frank, who also serves as the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East, warned that the pattern mirrored tactics used in parts of Africa where opposition leaders are weakened or eliminated to consolidate power. He further alleged that the federal security architecture was now dominated by individuals loyal to the President, heightening fears of political interference.
“It is no coincidence that nearly all top security positions are held by people from the President’s ethnic group. They were appointed to carry out political dirty jobs, and this is one of them,” he claimed.
The activist, also a Senior Advisor to the Global Friendship City Association (GFCA), USA, called on Nigerians and the international community—including the U.S., U.K., African Union, and ECOWAS—to closely monitor the unfolding situation. He compared the withdrawal to scenarios where security operatives are removed from vulnerable communities shortly before attacks occur.
“We alert Nigerians and the world: if anything happens to Atiku Abubakar, this government should be held responsible,” he cautioned.
Frank further challenged authorities to prove the sincerity of the security directive by extending it to the President’s relatives, associates, and top appointees. “If this policy is truly nationwide, then let the President’s family also lose their security. But we know the truth—the main target is Atiku Abubakar,” he said.
He concluded with a stark warning that Nigeria’s democracy was “entering dangerous territory,” adding that any attack on Atiku or other opposition figures could plunge the nation into crisis.
(Democracy Newsline Newspaper, December 2nd 2025)
