- The ADC stated that instead of Tinubu to confronting the worrisome situation with the seriousness and decisiveness it requires, Tinubu is gallivanting around the world
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has implored President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in Katsina and Zamfara states amid recent attacks and killings in the two northern states.
The party said this in reaction to the brutal killing of worshippers during an attack on a mosque in Malumfashi, Katsina State.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said the killings are further evidence of Nigeria’s collapsed security architecture.
The party ascribed the killings to a broader wave of terror in Katsina and Zamfara that has claimed over 140 lives in two months, and called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to stop “jet-setting across the world”.
The ADC stated that instead of confronting the worrisome situation with the seriousness and decisiveness it requires, Tinubu is gallivanting around the world when there are pressing and urgent matters that need his attention at home.
The full statement read: “The African Democratic Congress (ADC) is deeply outraged and concerned by the recent massacre in Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina State, where 30 worshippers were shot dead in a mosque during dawn prayers, and 20 villagers were burned alive in their homes.
“This evil act epitomises the horrors that Nigerians have been forced to endure under this administration. 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.
“The carnage in Katsina comes on the heels of the recent killings in Zamfara, where 47 people were slaughtered, including 38 hostages murdered even after ransom was paid. And only this month, no fewer than 45 more Nigerians have been killed in Zamfara, with entire villages ransacked, and dozens abducted. Taken together, over 140 Nigerians have been murdered in just two months in Katsina and Zamfara alone.
“It is disheartening to note that instead of confronting these urgent national tragedies with the seriousness that 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. We wish to remind Mr. President that diplomacy abroad is meaningless if safety and security at home cannot be guaranteed.
“It is equally appalling to note that President Tinubu has not made a direct statement of condolence to the family of the victims or given the assurance of safety to those still alive. This negligence would have been unthinkable in those countries that the President loves to visit.
“In view of the foregoing, ADC therefore calls for an immediate declaration of a State of Emergency in Katsina and Zamfara States until the government can stem the tide of bloodshed in those places and restore some order.
“We also call on President Tinubu and his government to embark on a total re-evaluation of Nigeria’s national security architecture, which has already proven incapable of protecting lives and property. 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 a need to rethink the entire internal defence system