Tinubu Govt soft on terror, clueless on security – ADC 

Tinubu Govt soft on terror, clueless on security – ADC

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the Federal Government’s plan to reintegrate almost 800 terrorists into Nigerian communities, describing it as evidence that the government is “soft on terror and clueless on security.”

In a statement signed by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, the party argued that reintegration and framing insurgents as “brothers” or “prodigal sons,” as some officials have done in recent weeks, reflects a dangerous misunderstanding of terrorism as an existential threat.

It therefore warned that reintegration without clear accountability and justice for victims indicates injustice and a dangerous encouragement of terrorism.

According to the party, this decision points to a deeper and more troubling reality that the government does not fully grasp the nature or scale of the threat it faces.

“Terrorism is not a family dispute. It is not a moral metaphor. It is a sustained and organised campaign of violence against the Nigerian state and its people. It has taken lives, destroyed communities, displaced millions, and undermined the very foundation of security and economic stability in our country.

“To respond to such a threat with language that softens its meaning, and policies that appear to prioritise rehabilitation ahead of accountability, is not compassion. It is a weakness.

“What Nigerians are witnessing is not a coherent security strategy. It is, at best, confusion dressed up as policy; at worst, a dangerous policy of political appeasement that compounds the tragedy of victims of terror,” the statement added.

The ADC particularly noted that while the government claims to be prosecuting a war against terror,  “it appears eager to reintroduce insurgents, who have waged a war against the Nigerian state, into society without first establishing clear processes for justice, without transparent standards for determining genuine repentance, and without credible safeguards to protect the communities they are being returned to.

“This is not balance. It is a dangerous failure of judgment and political accommodation taken too far.”

It further argued that the government’s treatment of terrorists as errant family members is a clear indication that it is “dangerously soft on terror.”

“And a government that can not take a clear stand against its enemy can not defeat it. Reintegration without justice is not reconciliation; it is injustice. It is facilitation. It sends the wrong signal to victims who are still waiting for closure, and even worse, it is a signal to those who may be considering violence that the cost of terror can be negotiated after the fact.”

The opposition party further said that the administration of President Bola Tinubu must tell Nigerians on what basis the so-called repentant terrorists are being reintegrated into society instead of being investigated and prosecuted.

“There is no clarity on the systems that will monitor them after release, and no assurance that affected communities have been consulted or protected. In the absence of these answers, what is being presented as a strategy begins to look like abdication, if not collaboration.

“The ADC believes that terrorism must be treated as what it is: an existential threat to the Nigerian state. Our approach will be rooted in clarity, accountability, and competence. Those who have committed grave crimes will face the full weight of the law because justice is not optional in a society governed by laws.

“Above all, the safety of Nigerian communities will come first, and the voices and rights of victims will be central to any national response.

“Nigeria cannot afford mixed signals in a fight that demands discipline and resolve. National security is not a guessing game, and it is not a space for sentiment to override judgment. It requires leadership that understands the stakes and is prepared to act with firmness and clarity.”