The African Democratic Congress (ADC), has strongly criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration over what it described as a collapse of national security following the killing of dozens of civilians in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State.
In a statement released on Friday and signed by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, the ADC condemned the massacre of approximately 170 people in last week’s attack, saying it exposed deep flaws in the federal government’s strategy to protect citizens.
The ADC said the attack, which many media outlets report was carried out by armed extremists, was “one of the worst atrocities recorded in recent times” and a stark reminder of what it called a “complete collapse of security”.
The party questioned the effectiveness of security policies announced by the federal government, including a state of emergency on security declared in November 2025 and a promise to recruit thousands of new police officers, measures that, the ADC argued, have not translated into improved safety for Nigerians.
“We are entitled to know what has become of those promises,” the party said, warning that the pattern of attacks across multiple states suggested that violence was being displaced rather than defeated.
In its public statement, the ADC pointed to what it described as weaknesses in key areas such as intelligence gathering, border control, inter‑agency cooperation, and rapid emergency response capabilities, all of which it said had contributed to the ability of armed groups to move and operate with little resistance.
The party also challenged the government to be transparent about the real status of the promised police recruitment drive, urging authorities to clarify whether recruitment efforts had stalled or were actively progressing.
President Tinubu has condemned the Kwara attacks and deployed additional troops to the area, where security forces are continuing operations against extremist groups blamed for the violence.
However, the ADC insisted that “a government that cannot protect the lives of its citizens has failed in its most fundamental responsibility,” and urged the Federal Government to take decisive action that goes beyond issuing statements of sympathy after such tragedies.
