By Oyinkansayo Wole-Bodunde.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has slammed the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for allegedly tolerating criminality.
The party cited comments from the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Chief of Army Staff referring to terrorists as “brothers” and “sons.”
The ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, expressed concern over the comment, stating it reflects a mindset that accommodates and tolerates crime. He said in a tweet, “The rhetorics reflect a dangerous mindset that accommodates and tolerates criminality instead of confronting it.”
He also said, “When a government begins to frame terrorists in familial terms, it blurs the moral and legal lines that must remain clear in any serious security response.”
The party questioned the government’s approach to security, saying it is struggling to protect lives and end killings. The ADC promised a different approach under its government, with no ambiguity about terrorists. The party said, “Bandits and kidnappers and terrorists will be treated the same as all enemies of Nigeria. We will establish special terrorism courts to ensure swift prosecution.”
The ADC listed a counter-terrorism framework focusing on local intelligence, state-level prevention, national coordination, and regional collaboration. The party emphasized its commitment to putting citizens first and treating terrorists as enemies, with severe consequences for killing Nigerians. “A terrorist will neither be a son nor a brother. They are the enemy and will be treated as such,” the party further stated.
