‘Governance can’t be handled from distance’: CISLAC slams Tinubu, seeks end to killings

The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has called for collective action against the killings of people by gunmen in Nigeria.

CISLAC made the call via its Easter message issued by the group’s Executive Director, Auwal Rafsanjani, on Monday, April 21, 2025.

CISLAC said Easter is meant to be a time of deep reflection, but for Nigerians, it has become “a painful reminder of lives cut short, families shattered, and a country steadily descending into insecurity, economic hardship, and official indifference.”

The group described the recent killings in Plateau and Benue States as “symptoms of a much deeper crisis: a breakdown in governance and a failure of the state to protect its people.”

It added that killings in other parts of the country – including Zamfara, Katsina, Niger, and Kwara States – reinforce that violence has become pervasive, and no region is immune.

CISLAC further condemned the absence of President Bola Tinubu in the country, saying: “What makes this reality even more painful is the absence of empathy and decisive leadership from the Tinubu administration.

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“At a time when the nation is crying out for healing and direction, the president’s silence and physical absence are both unacceptable and morally troubling. Leadership is not just about holding office; it is about being present in times of peace and, more importantly, in times of crisis.

“Sadly, Nigerians are forced to watch their leader move from city to city abroad while their own communities suffer. Governance cannot be handled from a distance. National empathy cannot be replaced by press releases or social media posts. If the president cannot provide solutions, the least he can do is stand with his people. If his government cannot end the violence, it must stop pretending that everything is fine.

“Equally troubling is the government’s apparent lack of prioritization in defeating violent criminals, despite the considerable resources allocated to security. The more financial resources are pumped into the system, the more insecurity seems to escalate – raising serious concerns about the strategic will to confront and end these atrocities. Until there is clear accountability and effective deployment of resources, insecurity will continue to thrive.”

CISLAC, therefore, called on the government at all levels, political leaders, and stakeholders to step back from the politics of ambition and return to the pressing business of rebuilding the nation.

The group added: “Nigerians are not statistics or stepping stones to power. They are citizens – people with dignity, rights, and lives that matter.

“Again, we demand an end to the misuse of security personnel for political conquest and the creation of political tensions, especially in some non-ruling party states, where certain individuals openly threaten violence to declare another illegal state of emergency.”

The Star