President Bola Tinubu has abdicated his role as the commander-in-chief of the country and has turned himself into the mourner-in-chief as violent non-state actors sweep across the country with impunity, says Nigeria’s major opposition party.

Specifically, Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesperson for the African Democratic Congress, excoriated Mr Tinubu for failing to protect innocent civilians from violent attacks by bandits and terrorists.

“Nigeria needs a real commander-in-chief, not a chief mourner,” Mr Abdullahi said in a statement on Tuesday on X.

The ADC statement listed six occasions when Mr Tinubu condemned killings and repeatedly promised to bring down the perpetrators while killings persisted.

“Since May 2023, President Bola Tinubu has turned ‘never again’ into a template response to insecurity and the killings of Nigerians. Every massacre under his watch. Every abduction under his failed leadership. Same script. Same lines. Same outcome,” Mr Abdullahi said, citing Mr Tinubu’s response to various attacks in Kwara, Kebbi, Benue, Plateau, and other parts of the country.

He added, “Six different tragedies. Six presidential promises. Six presidential failures. Zero presidential results.”

Lamenting the wave of killings during the Easter period, Mr Abdullahi said, “And then Easter came. April 5–6, 2026 — Kaduna. Borno. Plateau. Benue. Churches attacked. Villages raided. Security forces ambushed. Families buried.

“At this point, hearing ‘enough is enough’ is no longer a statement of reassurance; it is a declaration of helplessness and surrender.”

The presidency did not immediately respond to Mr Abdullahi’s criticisms of the president.