Rising insecurity and escalating civilian casualties in Nigeria have prompted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to fault President Bola Tinubu’s government, pointing to the latest Global Terrorism Index as evidence of deteriorating national security.
In a statement on Thursday, ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, warned that the country is facing a mounting security crisis that demands urgent and decisive action.
The Global Terrorism Index report noted that the Sahel region has emerged as the “global epicentre of terrorism”, accounting for nearly half of all terrorism-related deaths for the third consecutive year in 2025. Nigeria ranked fourth on the index, recording 750 deaths, a 46% increase from the previous year.
Reacting to the report, the ADC said the numbers reflect more than statistics, they expose a leadership vacuum. “At a moment when Nigerians are grieving and communities live under constant threat, the President, his National Security Adviser, and the Defence Minister are abroad. This is a country in crisis and a leadership that is absent”, the statement said.
The party highlighted that violence is increasingly concentrated in Borno State, which accounts for 67% of attacks and 72% of deaths, with civilians making up 67% of casualties. Groups such as ISWAP, Boko Haram, and emerging factions like Lakurawa continue to perpetrate attacks, demonstrating that the current security strategy is failing to contain the menace.
“These outcomes point to something deeper than isolated lapses. They reflect a breakdown in governance. Weak governance, internal instability, and economic hardship are key drivers of terrorism”, the ADC statement said, citing the GTI report.
The ADC outlined a three-pronged strategy aimed at restoring security and protecting Nigerian citizens:
- Strengthening Coordination: Establish a legally mandated national intelligence coordination system and a unified Joint Terrorism Task Force to eliminate siloed operations, missed warnings, and delayed responses.
- Decentralising Security: Implement a tiered policing system spanning federal, state, and community levels, ensuring faster responses, local accountability, and security tailored to all 774 local government areas.
- Shifting to Preventive Security: Build an intelligence-driven, preventive approach powered by data, early warning systems, and rapid response units in every state to stop attacks before they occur, rather than responding after tragedies.
The ADC concluded that a government truly committed to public safety must lead visibly, act decisively, and address the social and economic factors that fuel extremist recruitment.
“What Nigerians see today is a leadership more concerned with political positioning than urgent governance”, the statement added, calling for immediate reforms to reverse the country’s deteriorating security situation.
About the Author
