The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in Katsina and Zamfara States after a surge of attacks left more than 140 people dead in the past two months.
In a statement signed by National Publicity Secretary Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said the killings highlighted the collapse of Nigeria’s security architecture and condemned the government’s response to the crisis.
The ADC cited the massacre in Malumfashi, Katsina, where 30 worshippers were gunned down in a mosque and 20 others burned alive, as well as the killing of 47 villagers in Zamfara, including 38 who were executed despite ransom payments.
“This evil act epitomises the horrors that Nigerians have been forced to endure under this administration,” Abdullahi said. “It is damning proof of the collapse of our national security, prompting even the Chief of Defence Staff to urge citizens to learn self-defence.”
The party accused Tinubu of neglecting domestic insecurity in favour of international engagements, saying he was “chasing photo-ops while citizens are dying in droves.” It also criticised PDP governors for holding a political meeting in Zamfara days after the killings, describing the move as “deeply insensitive.”
Beyond its call for emergency rule, the ADC urged a complete overhaul of Nigeria’s security system, warning that recent appeals by military chiefs for citizens to arm themselves reflect the depth of institutional failure.
“The ruling APC and the PDP alike have placed politics above the welfare of Nigerians,” the statement concluded.
