‘This Is Not Security, It’s Terror Redistribution’ – ADC Slams Tinubu Over Kwara Killings

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has condemned the killing of about 170 people in Kwara State, describing the attack as a clear sign of a total collapse of security under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said in a statement on Friday that the scale of the killings in Kaiama Local Government Area of the state exposed what the party called the failure of the Federal Government’s security strategy.

“The recent gruesome killing of about 170 innocent Nigerians in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State is one of the worst atrocities recorded in recent times,” the party said. “It stands as a painful reminder of the complete collapse of security across the country.”

The opposition party questioned the effectiveness of the President’s earlier declaration of a state of emergency on security, as well as the promised recruitment of thousands of police officers, noting that mass killings have continued unabated across the country.

“What happened to the President’s much-publicised declaration of a state of emergency on security announced in November 2025?” the party asked.

“Was it a sincere commitment to restoring safety, or merely a rhetorical response to rising international and home-grown public anger?” the party asked.

The ADC also raised concerns over reports suggesting that the attackers may be part of terrorist elements recently dispersed following a United States Christmas Day military action in Sokoto State, who are allegedly relocating to other parts of the country due to weak internal security coordination.

According to the party, this development shows that the Federal Government is not defeating terrorism but merely shifting it from one region to another.

“The net summary of this, which has now become self-evident from these industrial-scale killings in areas hitherto considered safe, is that the Tinubu administration is not winning the war against terror; it is merely redistributing it,” the statement said.

The party argued that recent incidents, including mass abductions in Kaduna State and mass killings in Kwara, highlight deep structural weaknesses in Nigeria’s internal security system.

“Whether it is the mass abductions in Kaduna or the mass killings in Kwara, both highlight the deep structural failures of Nigeria’s internal security system in terms of intelligence gathering, border control, inter-agency collaboration, and emergency response capability,” it stated.

The ADC also questioned the status of the Federal Government’s announced police recruitment drive, which it said was meant to strengthen internal security nationwide.

“Tens of thousands of new personnel were reportedly approved for recruitment. Nigerians are entitled to know what has become of that promise,” the party said. “Have these recruits been employed, trained, and deployed, or has the exercise quietly stalled?”

It further criticised what it described as “performative security responses,” accusing the government of acting decisively only when faced with international scrutiny.

“We are equally disturbed by the pattern of performative security responses witnessed last year, when Nigeria suddenly projected an image of firmness following public comments and tweets by the President of the United States,” the statement said, adding that the urgency later faded.

The party added that the country’s security crisis has moved beyond the competence of the current administration, warning that routine killings and post-tragedy condolences are signs of governance failure.

“A government that cannot safeguard the lives of its people has failed in its most fundamental duty,” the party said.

The ADC called on the Federal Government to be transparent about the true state of national security, account for the promised security recruitment, and explain how it intends to stop the spread and relocation of terrorist groups across the country.

“Lives are not statistics, and governance is not public relations,” the party said, pledging to stand with Nigerians in demanding what it described as competent leadership, honest governance, and an effective security strategy.