ADC Knocks Tinubu Over Argungu Festival, Says 1,300 Killed In 41 Days

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised President Bola Tinubu for attending the Argungu Fishing Festival amid worsening insecurity.

This comes as the presidency announced that Tinubu will on Monday pay an official visit to Adamawa State to inaugurate completed projects and meet with stakeholders.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said it was troubled by the president’s public outing at a time of mounting killings and abductions across parts of the country.

“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 a festival.”

The ADC also expressed concern over a video allegedly linked to recent abductions in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State.

“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 said.

The party warned that sustained attacks in the southern part of Kwara State could have serious implications.

“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,” the ADC added.

“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.”

The party listed some demands it expects the federal government to undertake immediately.

“First, mount a robust and well-coordinated rescue operation to bring every abducted Nigerian safe 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,” read the party’s statement.

Meanwhile, presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, said during the one-day visit to Adamawa, Tinubu will inaugurate completed projects and meet with top government officials and traditional rulers.

“Billed for inauguration in the capital, Yola, and Jimeta, is the eight-lane Galadima Aminu Road linking Gimba and the capital. The model school, comprising pre-primary, primary, and junior secondary classes, will also be inaugurated by the President.

“Others include the new multipurpose hall, the remodelled High Court, the newly built officers’ complex, and the renovated Government House.

“The President will return to Abuja after the inauguration and the interaction with the state’s indigenes,” the statement said.