ADC Accuses Tinubu of Failing on Security as US Lists Nigeria as Global Concern

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has issued a stern criticism of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, declaring that Nigeria has become a global security concern due to what it described as the government’s inaction and failure to protect citizens. The reaction comes in the wake of former US President Donald Trump’s October 31, 2025 designation of Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” over worsening insecurity.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party argued that beyond diplomatic implications, the situation highlights the human cost of Nigeria’s security crisis. “What is really at stake on this issue are the thousands of human lives that have been lost to insecurity in Nigeria, irrespective of their tribe, religion or region,” the ADC said.

Security Crisis Deepens as Violence Spreads Nationwide

According to the ADC, Trump’s designation only confirmed growing global alarm over Nigeria’s struggle to protect its people. It asserted that security continues to deteriorate, with “nearly 15,000 lives lost to sundry violent activities since this administration assumed office in 2023.”

The statement cited widespread attacks, displacement of entire communities and killings in places of worship as evidence of worsening insecurity. “Bandits now control large territories in our country,” the party added.

The ADC further warned that the threat has expanded beyond regions previously affected by insurgency. It drew attention to a same-day claim by Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda-linked group, announcing an attack in Kwara State — a development the party said shows terrorism “dangerously moving closer to the southern part of the country.”

Government Accused of Denial, Diplomatic Lapses

The opposition accused President Tinubu of downplaying the worsening situation, alleging that his administration has responded to mounting insecurity with “excuses, cruel silence or utter indifference.” It argued that acknowledging the problem is the first step toward resolving it.

Beyond security, the ADC expressed concern over Nigeria’s foreign relations, linking the country’s reduced diplomatic influence to the absence of appointed ambassadors in major countries more than two years into the administration. “How can a government boasting of unprecedented revenue success continue to give lack of fund as excuse for not appointing ambassadors?” the party queried.

The statement claimed Nigeria has declined in continental leadership, attributing the situation to “a government that is so incompetent, so narrow-minded, and yet so blindly arrogant.”

ADC Proposes Reforms, Calls for National Mobilisation

To reverse what it called a dangerous trajectory, the ADC recommended urgent reforms, including a full overhaul of the national security framework and the swift appointment of qualified ambassadors. It urged a foreign policy reset “grounded in national interest, not personal promotion.”

“Nigeria is not beyond saving, but time is running out,” Abdullahi stressed, calling for collective action to protect citizens and restore national dignity.