ADC Tells Tinubu to Tackle Insecurity Before Chasing UN Seat

The African Democratic Congress has faulted President Bola Tinubu’s push for Nigeria to secure a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, insisting that the country must first confront worsening insecurity at home.

The party said Nigeria cannot demand more responsibility abroad while failing to meet its duty of safeguarding citizens. It pointed to the rising wave of killings and abductions in Zamfara and Katsina, including the attack on worshippers in Yandoto village, Zamfara, where lives were lost and many abducted.

Reports show that more than 140 people have been killed in the two states over the past two months, with Amnesty International estimating over 10,000 deaths from armed groups nationwide as of May 2025. ADC said these tragedies reveal the gap between the government’s promises and the harsh realities on the ground.

The party also accused armed groups in Zamfara of collecting over N56 million from farmers to grant access to farmlands, arguing that such extortion amounts to a parallel government taking shape in the state. It warned that the situation now threatens Nigeria’s territorial integrity as non-state actors increasingly dictate control.

According to ADC, the crisis shows not just insecurity but a collapse of state authority, with communities left vulnerable and the government appearing unable to restore order. It said the piles of casualties point to a leadership losing grip on national security.

Beyond the violence, the party criticised President Tinubu for skipping the passing-out parade of 874 cadets at the Nigerian Defence Academy in Kaduna last Saturday, the second consecutive year he has missed the event. ADC argued that the ceremony was an opportunity to motivate young officers amid the nation’s security challenges, but the President instead attended the reopening of the National Arts Theatre in Lagos.

The party described the decision as misplaced priority and accused Tinubu of acting like a distant observer while villages are attacked and citizens live under siege.

ADC urged the government to immediately declare a state of emergency in Zamfara and move decisively to stop the bloodshed, warning that further delay would deepen the crisis and endanger national stability.