The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the country’s deepening security crisis, arguing that Nigeria is in no position to seek a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.
In a statement on Saturday, ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said the Federal Government has failed to fulfil its primary responsibility of safeguarding citizens’ lives and property, and therefore lacks the credibility to campaign for a global security leadership role.
The party described the ongoing spate of killings, kidnappings, and extortion by armed groups across the country, particularly in the northern region, as evidence of the government’s inability or unwillingness to protect its people.
“How can a government that cannot ensure peace or security at home demand a seat at the table where global security is discussed and expect to be taken seriously?” Abdullahi questioned.
He referenced the recent attack on a mosque in Yandoto village, Zamfara State, where gunmen killed worshippers and abducted several others, as well as similar tragedies in Katsina and Zamfara over the past two months that have claimed over 140 lives.
According to the party, Amnesty International reported in May 2025 that over 10,000 Nigerians have died in violent attacks by armed groups since Tinubu took office.
“These are not just statistics, they were human beings, Nigerians, who were promised ‘renewed hope’ by this administration,” the ADC stated.
The ADC also criticised the President for failing to attend the commissioning of 874 new military officers at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna on Saturday, marking the second consecutive year he missed the significant national event.
The party noted that President Tinubu instead travelled to Lagos to commission the renovation of the National Arts Theatre, a decision they called “misplaced and tone-deaf,” especially amid the current security crisis.
“At a time when the morale of the armed forces needs boosting, the Commander-in-Chief chose to celebrate infrastructure instead of standing with our military,” the party said.
ADC further alleged that bandits in Zamfara State have begun operating like a parallel government, extorting over ₦56 million from farmers to access their lands.
“When non-state actors collect taxes, control movement, and kill with impunity, it’s no longer just insecurity, it’s a breakdown of the state. The territorial integrity of Nigeria is under threat,” the party said.
They accused the Tinubu administration of ignoring this collapse, noting that while political conflicts in Rivers State received swift federal intervention, mass killings in the North are often met with silence or ‘routine condolence tweets’.
The ADC condemned what it called the “tragic indifference” of the Tinubu-led administration, asserting that leadership on the international stage begins with responsibility at home.
“The world sees through the speeches delivered in New York. They see villages turned into killing fields. They see a government losing control of its territory,” Abdullahi said.
The party demanded an immediate state of emergency in Zamfara State and a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s security strategy.
