ADC blasts Tinubu over Nigeria’s international terrorism index

The African Democratic Congress has linked the rising wave of terrorist assaults and rising civilian deaths in Nigeria to what it described as a breakdown in governance beneath President Bola Tinubu, citing the 2026 International Terrorism Index report as proof of worsening insecurity throughout the nation.

In an announcement issued on Thursday by its Nationwide Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC outlined a three-pronged strategy aimed toward strengthening intelligence coordination, decentralising policing to reinforce community-level safety, and transitioning from reactive measures to proactive, intelligence-driven operations.

The International Terrorism Index report famous that the Sahel area has develop into the “international epicentre of terrorism,” answerable for practically half of all terrorism-related deaths for the third consecutive 12 months in 2025. It additional revealed that Nigeria rose to fourth place on the index, recording 750 deaths in 2025—a 46 per cent enhance from the earlier 12 months.

In response, the ADC described the most recent index as a transparent indication of the shortcomings of the APC authorities beneath Tinubu.

“That’s not an summary statistic. It’s a direct reflection of the failure of the Bola Tinubu-led APC authorities to safe the nation. At a second when Nigerians are grieving, and communities throughout the nation reside beneath fixed menace, Tinubu, his National Security Adviser, and the Minister of Defence are overseas. The distinction is obvious: a rustic in disaster, and a management that’s absent,” the assertion partly mentioned.

The occasion added, “Nigerians ought to be aware of this second. It raises a elementary query about Tinubu and the APC’s priorities. At a time that calls for focus, self-discipline, and urgency, the Tinubu authorities seems extra involved with pageantry, paparazzi, and propaganda—relatively than actual efficiency.

“The International Terrorism Index confirms what Nigerians already know from lived expertise. Terror assaults have surged by 43 per cent, rising from 120 incidents in 2024 to 171 in 2025. Violence is more and more concentrated in Borno State, which now accounts for 67 per cent of assaults and 72 per cent of deaths. Most concerningly, civilians now make up 67 per cent of these killed—a measure of how uncovered peculiar Nigerians have develop into.

“The menace to Nigerian households can also be evolving. ISWAP is answerable for over half of all assaults and deaths throughout the nation. Boko Haram stays energetic and lethal. New teams like Lakurawa are rising, exhibiting that Tinubu’s nationwide safety technique will not be containing the insecurity drawback however increasing it.

“These outcomes level to one thing deeper than remoted safety lapses. They replicate a breakdown in governance. The GTI identifies weak governance, inside instability, and financial hardship as key drivers of terrorism. That’s not a political speaking level—it’s the evaluation of an unbiased worldwide physique.”

The ADC careworn {that a} authorities actually targeted on defending its individuals would reveal seen, coordinated management throughout crises, strengthen native safety structure, and tackle the financial and social circumstances that gasoline recruitment into extremist teams.

The occasion mentioned, “As a substitute, what Nigerians see is a management class that’s extra preoccupied with political positioning than with the pressing enterprise of governance.

“This is the reason the ADC will take three decisive steps to repair Nigeria’s damaged safety system and restore security throughout the nation:

First, repair coordination. Nigeria doesn’t lack intelligence; it lacks coordination. At this time, businesses function in silos, warnings are missed, and responses are delayed. The ADC will set up a legally mandated nationwide intelligence coordination system, led by a Coordinator of Nationwide Intelligence, and a unified Joint Terrorism Process Pressure. The objective is straightforward: no extra missed alerts, no extra confusion, no extra excuses.

Second, carry safety nearer to the individuals. Nigeria can’t be policed successfully from Abuja alone. The ADC will implement a decentralised policing system with federal, state, and group layers, every with clear roles and nationwide requirements. This may guarantee sooner response, clearer accountability, and safety that displays the native realities of the 774 native authorities areas.

Third, shift from response to prevention. At this time, Nigeria reacts to assaults after lives are misplaced. The ADC will construct an intelligence-driven, preventive safety system powered by knowledge, early warning methods, and fast response models in each state. The main focus can be on stopping assaults earlier than they occur, not merely responding after tragedy strikes.”