The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on President Bola Tinubu to give equal attention to all victims of insecurity across Nigeria, saying the Federal Government should not focus only on high-profile rescue operations while thousands of other victims remain in captivity.
The opposition party said Nigerians abducted in Kaiama, Zamfara, Borno, Kebbi, Benue and other parts of the country deserve the same level of concern and public attention as the victims recently rescued in Oyo State.
In a statement issued on Sunday and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC urged the President to provide regular updates on ongoing rescue efforts and reassure families whose loved ones are still missing.
The party specifically asked the President to explain what progress had been made in securing the release of 176 residents of Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, who were abducted by gunmen on February 3, 2026.
According to the ADC, the victims have remained in captivity for several months, while their families continue to live in fear and uncertainty.
The party noted that residents of Kaiama recently staged a peaceful protest to draw attention to the plight of the abducted villagers and to demand stronger government action.
According to the statement, the protest was not politically motivated but reflected the frustration and pain of families who fear that their loved ones have been forgotten.
“Their protest was not political. It was the cry of citizens who fear that their loved ones have been forgotten,” the party said.
The ADC argued that President Tinubu’s recent public celebration of the rescue of abducted victims in Oyo State had raised fresh questions about the fate of many other Nigerians still being held by kidnappers and terrorist groups across the country.
While acknowledging that every successful rescue operation should be welcomed, the party said similar attention should be given to victims who remain in captivity in different parts of the country.
It listed several recent security incidents, including the abduction of 40 residents in Zamfara State, renewed attacks on communities in Benue State, the kidnapping of Kebbi State High Court Judge, Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza, and continuing violence in Borno State.
According to the party, these incidents show that insecurity remains one of Nigeria’s biggest challenges despite repeated assurances from the Federal Government that the situation is improving.
The ADC therefore called on the President to provide updates on rescue efforts involving all victims of kidnapping and bandit attacks across the country.
The party asked what concrete steps had been taken to secure the release of the abducted residents of Kaiama, those kidnapped in Zamfara, Justice Bunza and other Nigerians still being held by criminal groups.
It maintained that the families of the victims deserve regular information about rescue operations rather than prolonged silence.
The opposition party also referred to President Tinubu’s recent assurance that insecurity in northern Nigeria would soon come to an end.
However, it argued that Nigerians now expect measurable progress rather than repeated promises.
“Hope cannot survive indefinitely on declarations alone,” the statement said.
The ADC further claimed that many Nigerians now see the President as “a professional statement-maker” on security matters because government assurances have not been matched by sufficient visible results on the ground.
According to the party, public confidence in the government’s fight against insecurity will depend more on successful rescue operations, improved security and the protection of lives than on official statements.
The ADC stressed that every Nigerian life is equally valuable, regardless of where the victim lives or the level of public attention surrounding a particular incident.
It urged the President to demonstrate through action that no community or group of victims would be neglected because of geography or political considerations.
“Leadership is not measured by how quickly government celebrates a rescue; it is measured by whether no Nigerian is left behind or forgotten,” the party stated.
Nigeria has continued to battle multiple security challenges, including terrorism in the North-East, banditry in the North-West and North-Central, kidnapping for ransom, communal violence and attacks by armed criminal groups in several states.
In recent months, security agencies have recorded some successes through military operations and intelligence-led missions that have resulted in the rescue of kidnapped victims and the arrest or killing of suspected criminals.
However, kidnappings remain widespread, with communities in states such as Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Benue, Kwara and Borno continuing to report attacks by armed groups.
The abduction of Justice Bunza in Kebbi State and the mass kidnapping of residents in parts of Zamfara have further heightened public concern over the safety of citizens, including public officials and rural communities.
The Federal Government has repeatedly assured Nigerians that security agencies are intensifying operations against terrorists, bandits and kidnappers.
Military authorities have also said they are increasing intelligence gathering, border surveillance and coordinated operations to dismantle criminal networks across the country.
Despite these assurances, opposition parties and civil society groups have continued to demand faster and more visible results, arguing that many families are still waiting for the safe return of their loved ones.