The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has condemned the bomb explosions that rocked Maiduguri, Borno State, leaving at least 23 people dead and many others injured.
In a statement issued to Bellnews on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party expressed sympathy with the victims and their families while raising concerns about what it described as the Federal Government’s response to the tragedy.
The opposition party also urged Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately return to the country and focus on addressing the worsening security situation.
The party said it was deeply saddened by the attack, noting that the people of Maiduguri had endured years of insurgency and violence.
“The African Democratic Congress strongly condemns the bomb blasts that have shaken Maiduguri, Borno State, leaving innocent Nigerians dead and many others injured,” the statement said.
“Our hearts go out to the victims, their families, and the people of Maiduguri, a city that has endured more than its fair share of pain over the years. Terrorism anywhere in Nigeria is an attack on all Nigerians.”
The party added that moments of national tragedy required unity and compassion for affected communities.
The ADC also commended security personnel and emergency responders who were involved in rescue operations following the explosions.
“We commend the courage of first responders and security personnel who are working to assist the injured and restore calm,” the statement noted.
However, the party said the attack once again raised serious concerns about the state of security across the country.
According to the ADC, Maiduguri had only recently begun to experience relative stability after years of insurgency.
“Maiduguri, which in recent years had begun to experience a measure of stability after the darkest days of the insurgency, should not be returning to a situation where coordinated bomb attacks once again threaten the safety of ordinary citizens going about their daily lives,” it said.
The opposition party also criticised what it described as a lack of leadership focus at a time when the country faces serious security challenges.
The ADC noted that the President was outside the country while senior government officials responsible for national security were allegedly engaged in political activities.
“Moments like this demand the full and undivided attention of the nation’s leadership. It is therefore troubling that the President is currently outside the country at a time when such a serious attack on national security occurred,” the statement added.
The party also accused some top government officials of prioritising political activities over national security.
“At a time when Nigerian soldiers and civilians are being wilfully killed by terrorists, those charged with protecting the country are focused on politics of self-succession,” it stated.
The ADC called on the President to urgently return to Nigeria and focus on addressing the security crisis.
“The protection of lives and property is the most basic responsibility of any government. It cannot be treated as secondary to political distractions or competing priorities,” the party said.
It added, “The ADC therefore calls on President Tinubu to return immediately to the country and show, for once, that he cares about something else other than his politics.”
The party also suggested that the government should take responsibility for lives lost due to security failures by compensating affected families.
“We also think it is about time that government started to take full responsibility for every life lost that could have been protected by paying compensation to the families of victims, whether military or civilians,” the statement said.