Nigeria's president a 'statement-maker' on insecurity, says opposition party

Nigeria's opposition party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has sharply criticized President Bola Tinubu, accusing him of becoming a "professional statement-maker" on the nation's pervasive insecurity. The party is demanding clear timelines and regular updates regarding the ongoing captivity of 176 residents from Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, who were abducted on February 3, 2026.

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On one of the defining challenges of this government, the president is increasingly seen as a professional statement-maker, while communities continue to bury their dead, search for the missing, and wait for rescues that never seem to come.

The ADC argues that celebrating isolated rescue successes is insufficient when families of those still held captive are left without answers. The party insists that the government must demonstrate equal urgency and attention for every Nigerian life, regardless of their location or the prominence of their abduction. This criticism follows President Tinubu's public acknowledgment of a recent rescue operation in Oyo State.

"On one of the defining challenges of this government, the president is increasingly seen as a professional statement-maker, while communities continue to bury their dead, search for the missing, and wait for rescues that never seem to come," stated Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC's National Publicity Secretary. The party linked its concerns to a peaceful protest by Kaiama residents on July 24, who had spent over 170 days without word on their abducted relatives.

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Every successful rescue of abducted Nigerians deserves to be celebrated. But the president must ensure that his actions do not create the impression that the value of a Nigerian life depends on where the victim comes from or whether the tragedy attracts national headlines. Leadership demands equal compassion for every citizen.

The ADC pointed to a pattern of escalating insecurity across Nigeria, citing recent abductions in Zamfara, Benue, Kebbi, and Borno states. These include the kidnapping of at least 40 residents in Zamfara, renewed attacks in Benue, the abduction of a Kebbi State High Court Judge, and persistent insurgent activities displacing communities in Borno. The party asserts that these incidents underscore that insecurity remains a national emergency, not merely isolated events.

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Their protest was not political. It was the cry of citizens who fear that their loved ones have been forgotten.