The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on President Bola Tinubu to return immediately to Nigeria after a series of bomb explosions in Maiduguri, Borno State, which left 23 people dead and 108 seriously injured.
The blasts occurred on Monday evening at around 7:24 pm, targeting a market, the gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, and the Post Office flyover.
President Tinubu departed Abuja on Tuesday for a two-day state visit to the United Kingdom. In response, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC’s national publicity secretary, criticised the President for being abroad during such a national crisis.
“Terrorism anywhere in Nigeria is an attack on all Nigerians,” Abdullahi said in a statement on Tuesday. “At moments like this, the country must stand together with the people who have been affected.”
The ADC expressed concern about the worsening security situation in Maiduguri, noting that the city had been gradually stabilising after years of insurgency. Abdullahi said the attacks highlight gaps in national security and criticised government officials for prioritising politics over protection of citizens.
“At a time when Nigerian soldiers and civilians are being killed by terrorists, those charged with protecting the country are focused on politics of self-succession,” he said. “The protection of lives remains the primary responsibility of government, and it is therefore troubling that the President is currently outside the country.”
The party also suggested that the government should compensate families of victims, arguing that issuing condolences alone is no longer enough.
“The ADC calls on President Tinubu to return immediately to the country and show, for once, that he cares about something beyond politics,” Abdullahi said.
The bombings in Maiduguri mark one of the deadliest attacks in recent months, raising fresh concerns about the security situation in Nigeria’s northeast.
