Erstwhile Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari over alleged threats to his life and those of his family members following his decision to contest the 2019 Presidential election.

Atiku, who is one of the aspirants on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) revealed this in a petition he addressed to President Buhari, dated September 7, 2018.

The petition, titled “Petition Over Criminal Intimidation And Threat To My Life, That Of Members Of My Family, And Cyber Stalking Using Mobile Phone Number 08148228704,” was copied to the PDP national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus.

In the Petition, Atiku requested additional police protection for his family and himself from the President, stressing that his wife and daughters have received separate Short Message Service (SMS) from the mobile line warning that unless he backs out of the race, they would be raped and murdered.

Atiku said the author of the threat text message said his family was being closely monitored.

He called on President Buhari to order an urgent investigation into the matter, pointing out that it could lead to serious breach and may constitute real danger to national security, if not addressed.

He said “I present my highest compliments to the president and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and have the honour to request Your Excellency for a review, investigation and urgent consideration of extra protection for my family and I against some criminal intimidation and threat to my life, that of my family, and the cyberstalking against my family and I, using telephone mobile number +2348148228704.”

Atiku, in the petition, said 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 CBN and Fatima, the former commissioner in Adamawa State.

According to Atiku, the writer of the SMS also 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 further revealed that the author of the message also threatened to blow up all his property and those of his wives, saying, “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 assassinate 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, urged them to tell him (Atiku) to shelve his Presidential intent.

The former Vice President, however, said “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 breach and may constitute real danger to national security.

“Considering that these 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 said.

•Sourced from a Vanguard report

Update news