ADC Urges Federal Government to Accelerate Rescue Efforts for Borno and Kwara Abductees

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on the Federal Government to show the same level of urgency and operational commitment in rescuing kidnap victims in Borno and Kwara states as it did for the recently freed school pupils and teachers in Oyo State. While commending the successful rescue of the Oriire Local Government Area victims after 56 days in captivity, the opposition party warned against a selective approach to national security operations.

In a statement issued on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC expressed relief over the safe return of the Oyo victims but reminded the administration that many other Nigerians remain in captivity for months without drawing similar national attention. The party specifically highlighted the ongoing captivity of students abducted in Borno State last May, as well as over 100 individuals seized in Kaiama, Kwara State, several months ago, noting that their suffering deserves the same determination and national priority.

The ADC argued that while successful rescues are worth celebrating, they should not be the primary metric for grading the government’s performance on national security. The party emphasized that true success lies in prevention rather than reaction, stressing that meaningful economic growth and public trust cannot be achieved while kidnapping remains a routine feature of daily life.

To address Nigeria’s ongoing kidnapping crisis, the ADC urged the Federal Government to transition from reactive measures to a proactive security framework. The party recommended focusing on enhanced intelligence gathering, stronger inter-agency collaboration, addressing the root causes of insecurity, and restoring an effective state presence in vulnerable and marginalized communities.