Burial Of 19 Soldiers: Presidency Attacks Atiku

The Presidency, last night, took a swipe at the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, over his position on the absence of President Muhammadu Buhari at the burial of 19 soldiers killed by Boko Haram insurgents in Melete, Borno State.

Abubakar had accused Buhari of being insensitive for not attending the burial.

But a source in the Presidency said the President had shown that he is running a responsible government by going to the place to commiserate with the families of the victims.

The source said, “We have read the hypocritical press release signed by Mr Atiku Abubakar, accusing the government of Muhammadu Buhari of insensitivity by the failure of the President or the Vice President to attend the burial of the 19 military victims of Boko Haram.

“The loss of the gallant soldiers, as President Buhari has said is a national loss, on account of which he went to Maiduguri where he condoled the government and people of Borno State, addressed the troops at Maimalari Barracks as well as visited convalescing gallant soldiers.

“This was a clear case of sensitive and responsible leadership.

“On the other hand however, when a similar number of troops (19 soldiers) were abducted and killed in October 2001, neither he (Atiku Abubakar) nor his boss, President Olusegun Obasanjo, paid any tributes not to talk of visiting the grieving family members of the martyred soldiers.

“Instead, they sent additional troops who rounded up the people of the town and authorized an indiscriminate shooting as reprisals”.