Tunde Bakare, founder of the Citadel Global Community Church, has sharply criticised the national assembly for what he described as its failure to act while the United States Congress convened a hearing on Nigeria’s deepening insecurity. Speaking during his state of the nation address in Lagos, Bakare said elected representatives had abandoned their responsibilities at a time when citizens most needed strong leadership.
His comments followed the decision of United States President Donald Trump to redesignate Nigeria as a country of particular concern, as well as the congressional hearing held on November twenty about the rising insecurity in the country. Bakare accused the national assembly of showing no initiative and allowing foreign lawmakers to lead conversations about the suffering of Nigerians.
“It is a shame on our national assembly that it took the United States Congress, not the representatives elected by Nigerians, to convene a hearing on the lived experiences of citizens suffering under insecurity, 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 twenty twenty seven elections,” he said.
Bakare condemned Trump’s remarks about Nigeria, describing them as “the most despicable language ever used by a world leader” and referring to Nigeria as a “now disgraced country.” He added that the government’s sudden “flurry of activity after Trump’s remarks” revealed a long standing lack of urgency.
The cleric accused political leaders of “burying their heads in the sand like ostriches, preoccupied with the politics of chaos and paying little attention to the work of governance.” He said the ruling class had ignored the daily realities of ordinary Nigerians and paid “little attention to the real work of governance.” Bakare, a former presidential aspirant, said it was “a stain on the Nigerian government” that external pressure had been required before officials acted.
He lamented the surge in attacks and kidnappings across the country, insisting that “terrorists and bandits now dare the Nigerian state with impunity.” Bakare also urged President Bola Tinubu to issue a public apology to communities devastated by insecurity, saying that early steps taken by the government were not enough to rebuild trust.
While he welcomed some interventions, he warned that deeper structural reforms are needed to restore confidence. Bakare called for a victims and survivors register, a national apology within three months, and interim compensation, arguing that accountability is essential if Nigeria is to halt the violence and move towards genuine recovery.
