The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Tinubu administration of misplaced priorities and cold indifference towards the alarming security situation in the country.

The National Publicity Secretary of the opposition party, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said in a statement on Sunday that President Bola Tinubu’s appearance at the Argungu Fishing Festival in Argungu, Kebbi State, amidst killings and abductions of Nigerians by terrorists, was indicative of “a frightening loss of touch with reality.”

The party also expressed grave concern over a video allegedly linked to the Kaiama abductions in Kwara State, declaring that the growing boldness of armed groups, particularly within the Kwara corridor, indicates that the government may be losing control of a strategic part of the country that could provide terrorists with a foothold into other regions.

The full statement reads:

“The African Democratic Congress, ADC, is deeply troubled by the continued deterioration of the security situation in parts of the country, particularly in Kwara State.

“We are especially concerned that at a time of rising insecurity, the President and Commander-in-Chief was in Argungu attending a fishing festival, even as credible reports indicate that nearly 1,300 Nigerians have been killed in the last 41 days. Once again, innocent Nigerians and their families are left to bear the tragic brunt of terror while the President fiddles away at a festival.

“We are also greatly disturbed by the emergence of a video allegedly released by terrorists in connection with the recent abductions in Kaiama Local Government Area, challenging official figures on the number of kidnapped victims. This development comes amid fresh reports of terrorist activity in Patigi Local Government Area of the same state as recently as last night.

“It will be recalled that the southern part of Kwara State has been under sustained terrorist pressure since last year. Now, with attacks spreading northward at scale, terrorists appear to be tightening their grip on the state and exploiting it as a potential safe haven. The implications for the wider country are both clear and alarming. It is therefore shocking that the President could choose to attend a fishing festival while terrorists threaten to expand their operations.

“For clarity, we wish to underline the strategic significance of what is unfolding in Kwara State. The Kaiama axis provides a direct link into Oyo State. Any sustained insurgent activity within this corridor could therefore create wider vulnerabilities across parts of the North Central and South West. The situation in Kwara State must not be treated as an isolated incident but as a potential early warning of geographic expansion by terror actors.

“When non-state actors become sufficiently emboldened to publicly contradict official figures, it signals a troubling erosion of deterrence and raises serious questions about the management of both the security and information environments. But this could only mean one thing: the terrorists now view kidnapping as a commercial enterprise, and they are determined not to be short-changed in the ransom negotiations they expect will follow.

“On previous occasions, we have reiterated our longstanding position that the payment of ransom to terrorists, whether directly or indirectly, risks further entrenching the criminal economy that sustains mass abductions. While the safe return of victims remains paramount, disguising ransom payments as rescue operations only creates perverse incentives for future attacks.

“Given the gravity of the situation, the ADC expects the Federal Government to immediately undertake the following actions: First, mount a robust and well-coordinated rescue operation to bring every abducted Nigerian safely home. Second, issue a full and transparent public briefing that resolves the emerging discrepancies around the number of victims. Third, order an urgent security audit of the Kaiama and Kainji Lake forest corridor. Fourth, deploy strengthened interstate security coordination across the Kwara, Niger, and Oyo axis to shut down further terrorist movement. Fifth, maintain regular and credible public communication to restore confidence and deny terrorists the advantage of propaganda.

“Nigerians are tired of the APC and Bola Tinubu-led government’s assurances on security while citizens continue to be slaughtered at will. What the country needs is a government and a President who demonstrably care and will do everything necessary to protect the people. That urgency is tragically lacking under the present administration.

“The ADC will continue to hold the Federal Government accountable while supporting every credible effort to defeat terrorism and reclaim every part of our national territory. Nigeria must never appear weak in the face of terror.” (Sunday Tribune)