ADC: Killings Across Nigeria Highlight Incompetence of Tinubu's Administration

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly criticized the recent mass killings in Kwara State, asserting that such violence is indicative of a complete breakdown of security under the current federal administration led by President Tinubu.

In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party expressed disbelief over the President’s announcement of a state of emergency on security matters and the commitment to recruit thousands of new police officers. The ADC pointed out that the continued violence suggests these proclaimed measures are either ineffective or merely superficial.

The party raised concerns about whether the intensified security actions observed last year, following comments from the U.S. President, were merely performative, intended to secure international approval rather than genuine efforts to tackle insecurity in Nigeria.

According to the ADC, the persistent scale and frequency of violent incidents across the nation since these statements have demonstrated that the government's actions are failing, emphasizing a redistribution of terror rather than its eradication.

The ADC condemned, in the strongest terms, the brutal killings of approximately 170 innocent individuals in the Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, branding it one of the most heinous acts in recent history. They expressed their heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and the people of Kwara State, who they assert have been left to mourn in a nation that seems unable to protect its citizens.

The statement included alarming implications regarding the perpetrators of the violence being linked to terrorist elements previously dispersed by U.S. military actions in Sokoto State, suggesting they may now be regrouping in other areas due to weaknesses in internal security measures. It underlined that the current administration, despite its efforts, is failing to make significant progress in combating terrorism and merely shifting it to different regions.

The ADC also noted the massive abductions in Kaduna and the repeated killings in Kwara as clear indicators of systemic failures within Nigeria's internal security framework, particularly regarding intelligence gathering, border security, inter-agency cooperation, and emergency response.

Given the gravity of these recent developments, Abdullahi stated that Nigerians are left questioning the sincerity of the President's much- publicized security emergency declared in November 2025, pondering if it was a genuine effort to restore safety or merely a reaction to growing national and international public outrage.

Furthermore, the ADC recalled the governmental announcement regarding a significant recruitment initiative aimed at bolstering the Nigeria Police Force in response to this emergency. They queried the status of this initiative, asking whether the envisioned recruitment of tens of thousands of new personnel has occurred or if it has stagnated. They asserted that if such measures had been authentically implemented, rural communities like those in Kwara should not face unchecked violence.

The party expressed its frustration regarding the trend of superficial security responses observed last year, which reportedly followed international scrutiny from U.S. officials. They warned that this apparent urgency has seemingly dissipated, raising doubts that the initial reaction was more focused on foreign perception than on truly securing Nigerian lives.

Ultimately, the ADC declared that the harsh reality is that the security crisis facing Nigeria has evidently surpassed the capabilities and effectiveness of the current administration. There is a growing trend of violence that has become normalized, accountability has vanished, and government reactions have been reduced to mere expressions of sorrow and denouncements following each tragedy. They concluded that a government incapable of safeguarding its citizens has failed in its most fundamental responsibility.