By Ayomide Otitoju
Pastor Tunde Bakare, Lead Pastor of the Citadel Global Community Church, has sharply criticised Nigerian lawmakers for failing to address the country’s escalating insecurity. He spoke on Sunday during his State of the Nation Address in Lagos.
Bakare condemned the National Assembly for its inaction, noting that it was the United States Congress, not Nigeria’s own legislators, that convened a hearing on the experiences of citizens living under persistent violence. “While those in Abuja were busy with politicking, posturing for political relevance, and defecting between parties ahead of the 2027 elections, the people suffered,” he said.
The cleric referenced U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent remarks describing Nigeria as a “now-disgraced country,” calling the government’s subsequent flurry of activity evidence of prior indifference. He accused Nigerian leaders of “burying their heads in the sand like ostriches,” prioritising political manoeuvres over the safety and welfare of citizens.
Bakare described the nation’s current international standing as “its most humiliating public image since the Abacha era,” attributing it to years of failed leadership and neglect of national crises. He condemned the rise in terrorist attacks and kidnappings, saying, “Terrorists and bandits now dare the Nigerian state with impunity.”
Highlighting recent incidents, he questioned security lapses during the Kebbi school attack, asking, “Who ordered the withdrawal of the military from Kebbi school 45 minutes before the attack?” He also raised concerns about potential concessions made to kidnappers, stating the circumstances left “more questions than answers.”
The pastor called for fundamental reforms to improve national security and governance, warning that continued inaction “could further destabilise the country.”
Bakare’s remarks follow international scrutiny after U.S. President Trump redesignated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” on October 31, 2025, with a U.S. Congressional hearing held on November 20 examining violence, abductions, and alleged religious freedom violations in Nigeria.
Recent attacks include the abduction of over 300 students and staff from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Niger State, 25 girls from a secondary school in Kebbi State, and 38 worshippers in Kwara State. In response, the Nigerian government has closed vulnerable schools and increased military deployment in high-risk areas, while denying allegations of targeted attacks against specific religious communities.
