The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly condemned last Tuesday’s massacre in Malumfashi, Katsina State, where dozens of worshippers and villagers were killed, describing it as further evidence of Nigeria’s failing security system.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party connected the killings to a wider surge of violence in Katsina and Zamfara that has left more than 140 people dead in just two months, urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to end his frequent foreign trips.
The party further asked the president to urgently declare a State of Emergency in the affected states.
The party also criticised the decision of PDP Governors to hold their political meeting in Zamfara only days after the tragic slaughter of dozens of people in the state, describing the action as insensitive.
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 epitomizes 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 family of 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 is able to stem the tide of bloodshed in those places and restore some order.
“We also call on President Tinubu and his government to embark on 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.”
The party criticised PDP governors too for holding a political meeting in Zamfara just days after dozens of innocent residents were killed in the state. The party described the action as highly insensitive given the scale of tragedy that had recently unfolded.
According to the ADC, rather than showing solidarity with their colleague and addressing the worsening security crisis, the governors opted to stage what appeared to be a political gathering at a place still mourning mass casualties. The party said photographs of the governors dressed ceremonially and smiling for cameras were inappropriate in an atmosphere overshadowed by grief and bloodshed.
The ADC further argued that this development highlights a deeper problem in Nigeria’s politics that both the ruling APC and the opposition PDP are more concerned with power struggles than with the welfare and safety of citizens. The party maintained that the suffering of the people has been neglected by the political elite.
