Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the spate of recent killings in Benue State, berating President Bola Tinubu for gallivanting across Europe while governing in absentia.

“The blood of innocent Nigerians continues to be spilled with appalling regularity—most recently in the Logo and Gbagir communities of Ukum LGA in Benue State,” Mr Abubakar said in a statement on Saturday.

He added, “Yet President Bola Tinubu, incapable of solving Nigeria’s worsening insecurity, chooses instead to gallivant across Europe — governing Nigeria in absentia as if from a holiday perch.”

Mr Abubakar’s statement amid the spate of killings in Benue and Plateau states, with 56 bodies recovered in the latest herdsmen attacks on Ugondo in Logo LGA and Gbagir in Ukum LGA of Benue.

Citing former Presidents Barack Obama of the U.S.,  Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa and Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria, who abruptly aborted their state visit to attend to serious national issues, Mr Abubakar said, “Nigerians are dying. The president (Mr Tinubu) is nowhere to be found.”

“The Tinubu administration has proven, time and again, to be utterly incapable, wholly incompetent, and completely devoid of any coherent ideas for tackling Nigeria’s deepening security crisis.

“If he cannot act, the least he can do is show up. If he cannot lead with empathy, he should at least attempt the performance of it. Nigeria is bleeding,” Mr Abubakar said.

While expressing “heartfelt condolences go to the people and government of Benue State,” Mr Abubakar berated Mr Tinubu’s government for incompetence and lacking coherent ideas on tackling insecurity in the country.

Mr Abubakar’s statement comes after Mr Tinubu, through a statement by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, on Thursday, said he has been “overseeing critical national issues” from abroad. He assured citizens “that governance proceeds without interruption” despite his absence from the country.

While in France, Mr Tinubu met U.S. State Department Senior Advisor Massad Boulos. He remotely inaugurated the census committee and condemned gunmen attacks in Plateau State that claimed almost 100 lives, ordering security agencies to swing into action.