The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has attributed the surge in terrorist attacks and civilian casualties in Nigeria to what it described as a failure of governance under President Bola Tinubu.
The party cited the 2026 Global Terrorism Index (GTI) report as evidence of worsening insecurity across the country.
In a statement released on Thursday, March 19, by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC proposed a three-pronged strategy to address the crisis: improving intelligence coordination, decentralising policing to enhance community-level security, and shifting from reactive to preventive, intelligence-led operations.
The GTI report highlighted that the Sahel region has become the “global epicentre of terrorism,” accounting for nearly half of all terrorism-related deaths for the third consecutive year in 2025. According to the report, Nigeria ranked fourth on the index, recording 750 deaths—a 46 per cent increase from 2024.
Responding to the report, the ADC said the figures reflect the shortcomings of the Tinubu-led APC government.
“That is not an abstract statistic. It is a direct reflection of the failure of the Bola Tinubu-led APC government to secure the country.
“At a moment when Nigerians are grieving, and communities across the country are living under constant threat, Tinubu, his National Security Adviser, and the Minister of Defence are abroad. The contrast is clear: a country in crisis, and a leadership that is absent,” the statement said.
The party criticised the government’s priorities, arguing that national security should take precedence over public appearances.
“At a time that demands focus, discipline, and urgency, the Tinubu government appears more concerned with pageantry, paparazzi, and propaganda—rather than real performance,” the statement added.
The GTI report also revealed that terror attacks in Nigeria increased by 43 per cent, rising from 120 incidents in 2024 to 171 in 2025.
Violence has become heavily concentrated in Borno State, which accounts for 67 per cent of attacks and 72 per cent of deaths. Civilians now make up 67 per cent of fatalities, illustrating the growing vulnerability of ordinary Nigerians.
The ADC noted that ISWAP is responsible for more than half of all attacks and deaths, while Boko Haram remains active.
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The emergence of new groups, including Lakurawa, further demonstrates that the current national security strategy is failing to contain the threat.
“These outcomes point to something deeper than isolated security lapses. They reflect a breakdown in governance.
“The GTI identifies weak governance, internal instability, and economic hardship as key drivers of terrorism. That is not a political talking point—it is the assessment of an independent international body,” the party said.
According to the ADC, effective government leadership during crises requires visible coordination, strengthened local security structures, and measures to address the economic and social conditions that drive extremism.
The party outlined its proposed reforms as follows:
First, improve coordination. Nigeria has intelligence capacity but suffers from poor coordination. Agencies often operate in silos, warnings are missed, and responses delayed.
The ADC plans to establish a legally mandated national intelligence coordination system, led by a Coordinator of National Intelligence, alongside a unified Joint Terrorism Task Force to eliminate confusion and missed signals.
Second, decentralise policing. Effective security cannot be directed solely from Abuja. The ADC proposes a multi-layered policing system spanning federal, state, and community levels, with clear roles and national standards to ensure faster response and accountability across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas.
Third, focus on prevention. The current approach reacts after attacks occur. The ADC intends to build an intelligence-driven preventive system, using data, early warning tools, and rapid response units in every state to stop attacks before they happen, rather than responding only after tragedies.
The ADC said these measures are crucial to restoring safety and security for all Nigerians.