A pro-citizens advocacy organisation has condemned the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for what it called an opportunistic and inflammatory commentary on Nigeria’s current security challenges.

The Citizens for Secure Nation (CSN), a civil society coalition focused on public safety and democratic accountability, accused the opposition party of exploiting the grief of victims’ families and the anxieties of citizens to score political points rather than contribute meaningfully to ongoing security reforms.

In a statement issued in Kaduna on Thursday, CSN President, Alhaji Musa Danladi Maikawa, said the ADC’s recent comments were calculated to undermine public confidence in ongoing military and intelligence operations, while casting the federal government as complicit in the violence affecting some parts of the country.

Maikawa criticised the ADC for making sweeping allegations without evidence, warning that political actors must avoid inflaming tensions at a time when security agencies are under pressure to stabilise troubled regions.

“We cannot allow a political party to weaponise the pain of grieving families for narrow advantage,” he said. “Our country is going through a difficult period and what we need is constructive engagement, not reckless commentary that undermines the morale of security personnel risking their lives every day.”

He described the party’s portrayal of recent rescue operations as unfair to the military, police and intelligence agencies, noting that they had intensified coordinated action across multiple fronts. Attempts to frame government efforts as clandestine or conspiratorial, he added, risk discouraging community cooperation with authorities.

“There is no justification for painting security forces as collaborators with terrorists. Such rhetoric is dangerous and gives oxygen to extremist propaganda,” Maikawa warned, stressing that the ADC’s claims lacked verifiable proof.

He also faulted the party’s criticism of recent school closures in high-risk areas, saying they were temporary preventive measures based on security assessments, with both federal and state governments working to fortify vulnerable learning environments.

Maikawa urged the ADC and other opposition parties to show restraint and patriotism when commenting on national security issues, insisting that Nigeria’s battle against violent groups requires unity, intelligence sharing and responsible public communication.

Vanguard News