The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly condemned the recent massacre in Malumfashi, Katsina State, where dozens of worshippers and villagers were brutally killed. The party described the tragedy as yet another grim reminder of the deteriorating security situation under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, adding that his pursuit of international diplomacy is meaningless if Nigerians are not safe at home.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC linked the Malumfashi killings to a broader wave of terror sweeping through Katsina and Zamfara States—where over 140 lives have been lost in just two months. The party called on President Tinubu to immediately stop his frequent foreign travels and declare a State of Emergency in the affected states.
“The ADC is outraged by the horrific killings in Malumfashi, where 30 worshippers were gunned down in a mosque during early morning prayers, and 20 villagers burned alive in their homes,” the statement read. “This unspeakable atrocity underscores the failure of Nigeria’s security architecture, which has collapsed so completely that the Chief of Defence Staff has now urged citizens to learn self-defence.”
The party pointed to a disturbing pattern of violence in the region, highlighting the recent massacre in Zamfara, where 47 people, including 38 kidnapped victims—murdered even after ransom payments—were killed. Just this month alone, at least 45 more have died in similar attacks across Zamfara.
“With over 140 citizens murdered in two months across these two states, it is unacceptable that President Tinubu continues to travel abroad for photo opportunities while communities at home are under siege,” the ADC stated. “International diplomacy is pointless when basic safety cannot be assured within the country’s borders.”
The party also criticised the President for failing to directly address the nation or the victims’ families in the aftermath of these attacks. “That no message of condolence or reassurance has come from the President is appalling. Such indifference would be unthinkable in the same countries he frequently visits.”
Calling for decisive action, the ADC demanded an immediate declaration of a State of Emergency in both Katsina and Zamfara States to stem the bloodshed and restore order.
“We also urge the federal government to undertake a total overhaul of the national security framework, which has repeatedly shown itself incapable of protecting lives. The call by the Chief of Defence Staff for citizens to learn self-defence is perhaps the clearest admission that the system has failed.”
In a separate criticism, the ADC condemned the recent political meeting held by PDP Governors in Zamfara, just days after the mass killing of civilians in the same state.
“Instead of rallying behind their colleague to address the crisis, PDP governors chose to host a political gathering, posing for photos in full ceremonial regalia while the state still mourns its dead. Such insensitivity is both disgraceful and revealing.”
The ADC concluded by warning that neither the ruling APC nor the opposition PDP has shown real concern for the suffering of ordinary Nigerians.
“Both parties are more concerned with power and politicking than with the lives of the people. The time has come for a new direction—one that prioritises security, justice, and compassion over empty rhetoric and political theatre.”
