The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has warned that the worsening insecurity in Nigeria — including the reported extortion of over ₦56 million from farmers in Zamfara State by armed groups — is a sign that the country is sliding into a dangerous stage of state failure under President Bola Tinubu’s government.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said a disturbing video currently circulating online shows an entire village in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State abandoned to bandits. The ADC argued that this was not just a local crisis but proof that the federal government is losing control.
“A situation where people had to abandon an entire town to bandits, in the very heart of the country, is not just a local challenge but evidence of national surrender,” Abdullahi said.
Bandits ‘Taxing’ Farmers
The ADC expressed alarm that in Zamfara State, farmers reportedly had to pay ₦56 million to bandits for permission to plant crops. Abdullahi said this goes beyond ordinary insecurity — it is a sign that criminals are now competing with the government for control of parts of Nigeria.
“When criminals can tax citizens at gunpoint, it means the state has surrendered its monopoly of force, and state authority is in retreat,” he stated.
He added that it was shocking such events are happening in a country with one of the largest defence budgets in Africa, yet farmers are left to bargain with armed groups just to survive.
Recent Abductions
Abdullahi reminded Nigerians that only a few days ago, about 50 people were kidnapped in Zamfara in a single attack. He described scenes of entire communities — young, old, and sick — fleeing for safety, painting what he called an “eerie picture” of rural life under threat.
He also warned that parts of Nigeria currently considered safe may soon face similar dangers if urgent action is not taken.
Questioning Tinubu’s Leadership
The ADC questioned whether the Tinubu-led APC government can still be trusted to fulfil its most important duty — protecting the lives and property of Nigerians.
The statement recalled how in November 2014, Bola Tinubu, then an opposition leader, told then-President Goodluck Jonathan to resign over Boko Haram attacks in the North-East, arguing that no part of the country should be under occupation.
“Although the security situation that President Tinubu used to campaign in 2014 has multiplied under his party, and is currently thriving under his direct watch, no one is calling on him to resign,” Abdullahi said.
Not Calling for Resignation, But Action
Abdullahi clarified that the ADC is not asking President Tinubu to resign, but is demanding that he do his job. He also questioned why the president considered insecurity in Rivers State serious enough to justify a state of emergency, while large-scale kidnapping and “bandit tax” collection in Zamfara has not received a direct response from him.
“If the Tinubu administration cannot guarantee the safety of our farms and farming communities, if people are forced to abandon their homes out of fear, then it has failed in its most basic responsibility,” Abdullahi warned.
He concluded:
“You cannot boast that you are in charge of your country while your citizens are negotiating their survival with criminals.”
