Argungu: Tinubu Prioritising Festival Over Security – ADC

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for attending the Argungu Fishing Festival amid worsening security situation in the country.

In a statement on Sunday, the party said about 1,300 Nigerians were reportedly killed within 41 days, with hundreds still in captivity, including nursing mothers and children.

The statement, signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said the President had misplaced priorities by attending a festival at a time of rising attacks across the country.

It described the move as a frightening loss of touch with reality, noting that funeral processions were growing as terrorists continue to kill, burn and abduct citizens.

“We are especially concerned that at a time of rising insecurity, the President and Commander-in-Chief was in Argungu attending a fishing festival, even as credible reports indicate that nearly 1,300 Nigerians have been killed in the last 41 days,” the statement said.

The ADC also expressed concern over a video allegedly linked to the Kaiama abductions in Kwara State, in which insurgents were seen challenging official figures on the number of victims.

The party said the development suggested an attempt by armed groups to shape the narrative around the insecurity situation.

“We are also greatly disturbed by the emergence of a video allegedly released by terrorists in connection with the recent abductions in Kaiama Local Government Area, challenging official figures on the number of kidnapped victims. This development comes amid fresh reports of terrorist activity in Patigi Local Government Area of the same state as recently as last night,” the party added.

The ADC warned that the growing boldness of armed groups, particularly within the Kwara corridor, could signal that the government is losing control of a strategic area that may offer terrorists access to other parts of the country.

“When non-state actors become sufficiently emboldened to publicly contradict official figures, it signals a troubling erosion of deterrence and raises serious questions about the management of both the security and information environments. But this could only mean one thing: the terrorists now view kidnapping as a commercial enterprise, and they are determined not to be short-changed in the ransom negotiations they expect will follow.

“On previous occasions, we have reiterated our longstanding position that the payment of ransom to terrorists, whether directly or indirectly, risks further entrenching the criminal economy that sustains mass abductions. While the safe return of victims remains paramount, disguising ransom payments as rescue operations only creates perverse incentives for future attacks.”

The party recalled that the southern part of Kwara State has been under sustained attacks since last year and warned that the spread of violence northwards could tighten the grip of armed groups and create a safe haven for them.

“Now, with attacks spreading northward at scale, terrorists appear to be tightening their grip on the state and exploiting it as a potential safe haven. The implications for the wider country are both clear and alarming. It is therefore shocking that the President could choose to attend a fishing festival while terrorists threaten to expand their operations,” the statement said.

The ADC also stressed the strategic importance of the Kaiama axis, noting that it provides a direct link into Oyo State and could create wider vulnerabilities across parts of the North Central and South West if not urgently addressed.

The party called on the Federal Government to mount a coordinated rescue operation to secure the release of all abducted victims and provide a transparent public briefing on the number of those affected.

It also urged an urgent security audit of the Kaiama and Kainji Lake forest corridor, strengthened interstate security coordination across Kwara, Niger and Oyo states, and regular public communication to counter propaganda by armed groups.

The ADC said Nigerians were tired of repeated assurances on security while citizens continue to face attacks, adding that the country needs leadership that will prioritise the protection of lives.

The ADC said it would continue to hold the Federal Government accountable while supporting credible efforts to defeat terrorism and reclaim all parts of the country.