Presidential aspirant of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, has vowed to formally designate bandits and kidnapping syndicates as terrorist organisations if elected president in 2027.
Speaking during a town hall meeting organised by Team Rebuild in Abuja, Hayatu-Deen said Nigeria can no longer afford to treat widespread insecurity and organised violent crimes as ordinary criminal activities.
According to him, every bandit, kidnapper, and collaborator involved in violent crimes would be prosecuted under Nigeria’s terrorism laws, while assets linked to criminal networks and financiers would be identified, frozen, and seized.
The former banker and economist also promised to establish specialised terrorism courts with accelerated procedures to ensure faster prosecution of insecurity-related cases and tougher punishments for offenders.
Hayatu-Deen argued that insecurity has become one of the greatest threats to Nigeria’s survival, economic stability, and national unity, adding that weak institutions and poor coordination among security agencies have worsened the crisis.
Sharing a personal experience, the ADC aspirant revealed that his family had directly suffered from insecurity, disclosing that his sister was kidnapped and held captive for three years. He said the painful experience strengthened his determination to confront violent crimes decisively if elected.
He further promised to improve intelligence sharing among security agencies, strengthen policing systems, dismantle ransom networks, and launch economic recovery programmes targeted at vulnerable communities and unemployed youths susceptible to criminal recruitment.
Hayatu-Deen maintained that Nigerians are tired of political excuses and now demand leadership capable of restoring security, rebuilding public confidence, and creating real economic opportunities nationwide.
