In a powerful address that has resonated across Nigeria, Pastor Tunde Bakare has launched a scathing critique against the National Assembly, accusing lawmakers of abandoning their duties to tackle the nation's escalating security crisis in favor of political gamesmanship.
A Scathing Indictment on Governance
During his State of the Nation Address delivered on Sunday in Lagos, the Lead Pastor of the Citadel Global Community Church did not mince words. He expressed profound shame that the United States Congress found it necessary to convene a hearing on the harrowing experiences of Nigerians living under constant threat, while their own elected representatives in Abuja remained passive.
"While those in Abuja were busy with politicking, posturing for political relevance, and defecting from one political party to another in their desperate manoeuvres to secure their seats ahead of the 2027 elections," Bakare stated, the real work of governance was being ignored.
External Pressure and Internal Failures
The cleric highlighted how the Nigerian government's flurry of activity only came after stinging international criticism. He specifically referenced comments from former U.S. President Donald Trump, who described Nigeria in what Bakare termed "the most despicable language ever used by a world leader," labeling it a "now-disgraced country."
This sequence of events, according to Bakare, exposed a painful truth: external pressure was required to spur a government response to a crisis that has been devastating its own citizens for years. "Terrorists and bandits now dare the Nigerian state with impunity," he warned, pointing to a catastrophic failure of security architecture.
Unanswered Questions and Systemic Collapse
Bakare raised alarming questions about potential complicity or negligence within the system, focusing on the recent abduction of twenty-five girls from a secondary school in Kebbi. He directly questioned, "Who ordered the withdrawal of the military from Kebbi school 45 minutes before the attack?" This, he suggested, points to possible deals or concessions made with perpetrators, leaving the nation with "more questions than answers."
He cited a series of devastating incidents that have become commonplace:
- The abduction of over 300 students and staff from St Mary’s Catholic School in Niger State
- The kidnapping of thirty-eight worshippers in Kwara State
- The persistent attacks that have forced the government to close vulnerable schools and increase military presence in high-risk areas
While acknowledging these measures as necessary, Bakare condemned them as fundamentally reactive and insufficient to address the deep-rooted, systemic challenges crippling the nation's security apparatus.
The pastor's stark warnings come at a time of growing international alarm. His remarks underscore the domestic frustration that mirrors the U.S. congressional scrutiny and the October 2025 designation of Nigeria as a 'Country of Particular Concern'. Bakare concluded with an urgent call for comprehensive reforms in both national security and governance, cautioning that continued inaction threatens to further destabilize the country.
