The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised President Bola Tinubu over the country’s worsening insecurity, accusing him of making repeated assurances without corresponding action while demanding regular updates on efforts to rescue 176 residents of Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State who have remained in captivity since their abduction on February 3, 2026.
The opposition party said although it welcomed the recent rescue of abductees in Oyo State, the government must not focus on one successful operation while hundreds of other victims remain in captivity across the country.
ADC argued that every Nigerian life deserves equal attention, warning against creating the impression that the government’s response to kidnappings depends on where victims come from or the level of public attention their cases receive.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said residents of Kaiama staged a peaceful protest on Friday over the continued captivity of the abductees, describing it as the desperate cry of families who fear their loved ones have been forgotten.
Abdullahi said, “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.”
According to the party, the rescue of abductees in Oyo should not overshadow the plight of victims still being held by kidnappers and insurgents in other parts of the country.
It stated, “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 maintained that the Kaiama protest was not politically motivated but reflected the frustration of families who have received no information on the fate of their relatives after more than 170 days.
“Their protest was not political. It was the cry of citizens who fear that their loved ones have been forgotten,” the statement added.
The party also expressed concern over recent security incidents across the country, including the abduction of at least 40 residents, mostly women and children, from 11 communities in Zamfara State’s Maru Local Government Area, renewed attacks in Benue State’s Sankera axis, the kidnapping of Kebbi State High Court Judge, Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza, and continued insurgent attacks in parts of Borno State.
The ADC questioned the Federal Government’s efforts to secure the release of victims in these areas.
It asked, “What progress has been made in securing the release of the 176 abductees from Kaiama? What is being done to rescue the women and children taken in Zamfara? What efforts are underway to secure the release of Justice Bunza? What updates are available on victims in Borno and other affected communities?”
“The president owes Nigerians more than broad assurances. He owes them regular updates, timelines, and evidence that no Nigerian community has been abandoned,” the party added.
The opposition party further criticised President Tinubu’s repeated assurances that insecurity would soon be defeated, arguing that such statements were losing credibility because they had not been backed by visible results.
“Hope cannot survive indefinitely on declarations alone. There comes a point when repeated assurances, unaccompanied by visible results, cease to reassure. They simply become another headline in a long cycle of official optimism and public disappointment,” the statement said.
The ADC urged the President to demonstrate stronger leadership by ensuring that all victims of kidnapping and violent attacks receive equal attention.
“Leadership is not measured by how quickly government celebrates a rescue; it is measured by whether no Nigerian is left behind or forgotten,” the party stated.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
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