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ADC to Tinubu: Declare State of Emergency in Katsina, Zamfara Over Spiraling Insecurity
In a strongly worded statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party condemned what it described as the “total collapse” of Nigeria’s security architecture, citing recent massacres as evidence of the government’s failure to protect its citizens.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately declare a state of emergency in Katsina and Zamfara States, following a surge of deadly attacks that have claimed over 140 lives in just two months.
In a strongly worded statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party condemned what it described as the “total collapse” of Nigeria’s security architecture, citing recent massacres as evidence of the government’s failure to protect its citizens.
“This evil act epitomises the horrors that Nigerians have been forced to endure under this administration,” the ADC said. “It is also a damning proof of the total collapse of our national security architecture, which has prompted even the nation’s chief of defence staff, CDS, to ask citizens to learn how to defend themselves.”
Bloodshed in Katsina and Zamfara
The ADC pointed to the recent Malumfashi massacre in Katsina, where 30 worshippers were shot dead in a mosque and 20 villagers burned alive in their homes. The party also referenced the killing of 47 people in Zamfara, including 38 victims executed despite ransom payments.
“It is disheartening to note that instead of confronting these national tragedies with the seriousness they demand, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu continues to jet-set across the world, chasing photo-ops, while his people are dying in dozens at home,” the statement read.
Criticism of Political Apathy
The party did not spare opposition figures either, slamming PDP governors for holding a political meeting in Zamfara shortly after one of the attacks.
“Instead of rallying around their beleaguered colleague to help stop the orgy of killings, they chose to stage a political rally at the scene of mass murder.
The photos of PDP governors in full ceremonial robes, grinning for the camera, are totally out of place in an environment that still reeks of blood and sorrow.”
Time for a Security Overhaul
Beyond the call for a state of emergency, the ADC urged the federal government to completely overhaul the country’s internal security system, describing the CDS’s recent appeal for citizens to seek self-defence training as a clear sign that current strategies have failed.
“The recent call by the chief of defence staff, CDS, for citizens to acquire self-defence skills is perhaps the most honest indicator yet that there is need to rethink the entire internal defence system,” it said.
The party concluded by accusing both the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) of prioritizing politics over the lives of ordinary Nigerians.
“Neither the ruling APC nor the incurably afflicted PDP care about the people and their suffering. They only care about power and politics,” the ADC added.
The call from the ADC adds to growing pressure on the federal government to act decisively as communities across northern Nigeria continue to face unrelenting attacks from armed groups.
