The African Democratic Congress (ADC), has accused President Bola Tinubu of creating the impression that some victims of insecurity mattered more than others.
It therefore urged him to provide updates and timelines for the rescue of 176 residents abducted from Woro community in Kaiama, Kwara State, who have remained in captivity since February 3, 2026.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said the president’s celebration of the recent rescue of abductees in Oyo State, had prompted questions about the fate of victims still being held in Kaiama, Borno and other parts of the country.
The ADC also cited the recent abduction of 40 residents in Zamfara, fresh attacks in Benue and the kidnapping of Kebbi High Court Judge, Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza, as evidence that insecurity remained widespread despite presidential assurances.
It argued that repeated promises that insecurity would soon end were no longer convincing, describing Tinubu as “a professional statement-maker” on security issues, and urged him to demonstrate through action that every Nigerian life carries equal value.
The party said it was concerned by what was becoming an unmistakable pattern in the Tinubu administration’s response to insecurity, where some victims receive swift presidential attention, while others were left to languish in silence.
According to the National Publicity Secretary, “Every successful rescue of abducted Nigerians deserves to be celebrated. But the President must ensure that his actions do not create the impression that the value of a Nigerian life depends on where the victim comes from or whether the tragedy attracts national headlines.
“Leadership demands equal compassion for every citizen, because no country can build national unity on the basis of selective empathy and selective attention.
”Friday, July 24, 2026, residents of Kaiama Local Government Area in Kwara State staged a peaceful protest over the fate of 176 residents of Woro community abducted on February 3, 2026. More than 170 days later, their families are still asking the same questions.
”Where are their loved ones? What has the government done? When should they expect them home? Their protest was not political. It was the cry of citizens, who fear that their loved ones have been forgotten.
”The tragedy is not standing still; it is spreading. In Zamfara State, no fewer than 40 residents from 11 communities in Mayanchi District of Maru Local Government Area were recently abducted by bandits, most of them women and children, forcing terrified families to flee their homes.
”On Friday, July 24, fresh attacks again claimed lives in Benue’s Sankera axis. And in the early hours of Sunday, July 26, 2026, suspected bandits abducted a Judge of the Kebbi State High Court, Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza, from his residence.
“Meanwhile, communities in Borno State continue to endure insurgent attacks and mass displacement. These are not isolated incidents. They are reminders that insecurity remains a daily reality for millions of Nigerians,” Abdullahi stated.
He explained that following the public celebration surrounding the rescue of abductees in Oyo State, Nigerians were entitled to ask a simple question, adding that what is the status of those still being held elsewhere?
Chuks Okocha
