Atiku to FBI: Protecting Investigative Methods Must Not Become a Shield Against Legitimate Public Scrutiny

Former Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar has challenged the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) against using the "danger to lives" clause to withhold potentially crucial records concerning President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from public view. Abubakar argued that Nigerians are already facing daily threats to their lives due to the current administration's economic policies.

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The FBI said that disclosure could endanger lives. Which lives? Nigerians are already dying.

In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Abubakar detailed the severe economic hardship faced by ordinary Nigerians since Tinubu removed fuel subsidies without adequate protective measures. He highlighted the struggles of families unable to afford basic necessities, the rising cost of living, and the overall economic pressure contributing to a "danger to life" that is a daily reality.

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Danger to life is therefore not a legal abstraction to Nigerians. It is a daily reality in our homes, hospitals, farms, highways and communities.

Abubakar contrasted this with the FBI's stated concern for lives, questioning whose lives are being protected when Nigerians are suffering from terrorism, banditry, hunger, and economic instability. He asserted that under his leadership, the reintroduction of fuel subsidies would be a priority, emphasizing a targeted, transparent, and audited approach to ensure it benefits citizens without corruption.

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And this is precisely why the return of fuel subsidy under my watch is not negotiable.

He further criticized Tinubu's celebration of subsidy removal, asking if the president was celebrating the resulting suffering. Abubakar vowed that his administration would measure economic success by the well-being of citizens, not their capacity to endure hardship. He urged the FBI to protect investigative methods but not allow them to become a shield for Tinubu, emphasizing the need for legitimate public scrutiny.

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Protect your agents. Protect your sources. Protect legitimate investigative methods. Redact whatever American law genuinely requires you to redact. But do not stretch those protections until they become a bulletproof vest for Tinubu.