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By Olalekan Saliu

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has raised the alarm that his life and those of members of his family are being threatened.
Atiku raised the alarm in a petition he wrote to President Muhammadu Buhari, a copy of which was made available to the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus.
The threat, he said, was in connection with his presidential ambition as he was being warned to withdraw from the race or face dire consequences.
Atiku is one of the leading presidential aspirants on the platform of the PDP.
The petition is titled “Petition Over Criminal Intimidation And Threat To My Life, That Of Members Of My Family, And Cyber Stalking Using Mobile Phone Number 08148228704.”
Atiku said in view of the gravity of the threat he needed additional police protection for himself and members of his family.
He also called for an urgent probe into the matter.
He said the author of the threat messages had warned that his family members were being closely watched and if he did not yield, his wife and daughters would be raped and killed.
According to him, similar text messages had been sent to his wife and daughters too.
He said the author also threatened to blow up his plane and poison him and his family members.
While calling for a probe of the threat as a matter of urgency, Atiku said the development signified danger to national security.
“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’s kind 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 cyber stalking against my family and I, using telephone mobile number +2348148228704,” he wrote.
“Considering that these threats border on the right to life of my family and I, 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 threats, 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 added.
• Source: The Next Edition