Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar said his life and those of his family are under threat by unknown person(s) because of his decision to contest the 2019 presidential election.
Atiku, an aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in a petition to President Muhammad Buhari requested for more police protection for himself and family.
In the petition, which was dated September 7, the former vice president told the president that his wife and daughters have received separate text messages, warning them that unless he backs out of the presidential race, they would be raped and killed.
He gave the mobile number used to send the threat message as 08148228704, adding that the author said his family was being watched closely.
Atiku called on the president to order an urgent investigation into the matter, pointing out that it could lead to serious breaches and may constitute real danger to national security.
According to him, the author threatened that if he doesn’t withdraw from the contest, “we will kill, rape your wife and daughters”, whom they identified as Mariam who worked at Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Fatima, the former commissioner in Adamawa State.
He added that the author further threatened: “We will blow your plane off the sky and we will poison you and your family. You are going to see what we will do with your family. We know where and where your children travel to.”
The petition, which was copied to National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus revealed that the author of the message threatened that they will blow up all his property and those of his wife’s, adding “we control the aviation towers in Nigeria and South Africa.
“We are in government and Buhari will win again. Your party members will never select you and if they do, we will assassinat (sic) you. We will kill you by blowing up your plane.”
In the separate text messages to the wife and daughter, the author, according to Atiku, asked them to ask him to back down from the contest or they will be harmed.
“From the foregoing, Mr President can see that if adequate and urgent steps are not taken to identify and deal with these threats, it could lead to serious breaches and may constitute real danger to national security.
“Considering that this threats border on the right of my family and I to life, as well as my freedom to aspire for and contest for the presidency in Nigeria, I urge you to commence urgent investigation with a view to identifying the person (s) behind the threat, expose and prosecute the culprit (s) in accordance with the laws.
“I request that you ensure the continued protection of my rights to life, that of my family, my property and my rights and freedoms to associate and aspire to any political office as guaranteed under the 1999 Nigerian constitution (as amended),” he further demanded.
