Prominent cleric and founder of the Citadel Global Community Church, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has criticised the National Assembly for failing to address Nigeria’s worsening insecurity, saying lawmakers are more focused on politics than on the suffering of ordinary citizens. Bakare made the remarks during his State of the Nation address on Sunday in Lagos.
His comments came days after the United States Congress held a special hearing on the rising level of insecurity in Nigeria and after former US President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern,” a classification used for nations accused of failing to protect religious freedom and human rights.
Bakare said it was embarrassing that foreign lawmakers had taken the lead in discussing Nigeria’s security crisis while elected Nigerian representatives were “busy with politicking.”
In his address, the former presidential aspirant criticised the National Assembly for lacking initiative and failing to confront the rising wave of killings, kidnappings and terror attacks across the country.
“It is a shame on our National Assembly that it took the United States Congress, not the representatives elected by Nigerians, to convene a hearing on the lived experiences of citizens suffering under insecurity,” he said.
Bakare accused lawmakers of focusing on political manoeuvres, including defections and positioning themselves for the 2027 elections, instead of addressing urgent national issues. He argued that Nigerian legislators had abandoned their responsibility to provide leadership at a time when citizens needed them most.
According to him, the hearing held by the US Congress on November 20 demonstrated how urgent the Nigerian situation had become in the eyes of the international community.
Nigeria has been facing an escalation of insecurity for more than a decade, with various forms of violence spreading across the country. Banditry, terrorism, farmer-herder conflicts and mass abductions have affected nearly all regions. Thousands have been killed, and millions displaced.
The United States has previously expressed concern about Nigeria’s human rights record and the government’s ability to control militant groups. Trump’s recent comments describing Nigeria as a “now-disgraced country” and the redesignation of Nigeria as a country of particular concern reflect growing international frustration over the situation.
The US Congress hearing featured testimonies from security experts, rights advocates and members of the Nigerian diaspora who highlighted the scale of violence in rural and urban communities.
Bakare said the fact that foreign lawmakers were now discussing Nigeria’s internal problems showed how far the country had fallen in global perception.
Reacting to Trump’s remarks, Bakare condemned what he described as “the most despicable language ever used by a world leader.” He said Trump’s comment was deeply offensive but also a reflection of how the world now views Nigeria.
He added that the Nigerian government only became active after the remarks were made, noting a sudden “flurry of activity” that revealed earlier delays and lack of urgency.
“What we saw was a reaction, not genuine leadership,” Bakare said. “It is a stain on the Nigerian government that external pressure was needed before officials acted.”
The cleric accused Nigeria’s ruling class of ignoring the daily struggles of citizens, saying leaders had “buried their heads in the sand like ostriches” and continued to “play the politics of chaos.”
According to him, many leaders spend more time fighting for political relevance than solving national problems. He said their inaction had contributed to Nigeria’s current global embarrassment.
He argued that the country’s governance failures have left terrorists and armed groups emboldened. “Terrorists and bandits now dare the Nigerian state with impunity,” he said, lamenting the recent surge in attacks across several states.
Bakare added that Nigeria was now facing its “most humiliating international public image since the Abacha era,” comparing today’s situation to the period of military dictatorship when Nigeria was widely criticised for corruption, human rights abuses and the repression of civil liberties.
In his message, Bakare urged President Bola Tinubu to go beyond policy announcements and take bold steps to restore citizens’ trust. He said a national apology is necessary to acknowledge the pain of communities destroyed by violence.
“No nation can heal without truth and accountability,” he stressed.
Bakare proposed several steps which he believes would help rebuild confidence and support victims of insecurity:
A National Victims and Survivors Register:
A database that documents the experiences, identities and needs of victims of violent attacks.
He called on the president to address the nation and apologies to the families of those killed or displaced due to insecurity.
He recommended immediate financial support for those who lost loved ones, suffered injuries or lost property during attacks.
According to him, symbolic gestures such as apologies, combined with practical assistance, would help reassure Nigerians that the government is serious about ending the cycle of violence.
Nigeria’s security challenges have grown more complex in recent years. In the North-West, bandit groups carry out mass kidnappings, especially targeting students and farmers. In the North-East, remnants of Boko Haram and ISWAP continue to launch deadly attacks. In the Middle Belt and South, clashes between herders and farming communities have intensified, while separatist tensions spill over in the South-East.
Kidnapping for ransom has spread nationwide, making many roads unsafe and forcing rural communities to abandon their livelihoods. Security experts say the government must take a more coordinated and long-term approach to tackle the crisis.
Bakare said these issues cannot be solved unless leaders show the political will to confront them head-on.
While Bakare welcomed some of the early steps taken by the Tinubu administration—including the deployment of more security personnel and the review of security strategies—he warned that these measures must be sustained and expanded.
He said Nigerians are willing to cooperate with the government but need to see evidence that leaders take their suffering seriously.
“The Nigerian people have endured too much. It is time for real leadership,” he said.