The African Democratic Congress (ADC), Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, has slammed the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Waidi Shaibu, for referring to repentant terrorists as ‘friends’ and ‘sons’.
This online medium learnt that Ribadu and Shaibu had, in a viral video online, used brotherly remarks while referring to some surrendered terrorists, which attracted criticism and claims that the authorities were romancing criminal elements.
Similarly, the ADC, in a statement issued on Friday by Abdullahi, asserted that such comments reflect a dangerous mindset that accommodates and tolerates criminality instead of confronting it.
Abdullahi argued that when the 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 statement reads, “First, the NSA referred to terrorists as his brothers. Now, the Chief of Army Staff is referring to terrorists as sons.
“These rhetorics reflect a dangerous mindset that accommodates and tolerates criminality instead of confronting it.
“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.
“With this mindset, it is easy to understand why the current approach has struggled to protect lives and decisively end the killings.
“This must not be allowed to continue. Under an ADC government, there will be no ambiguity. Bandits, kidnappers, and terrorists will be treated the same as all enemies of Nigeria.
“We will establish special terrorism courts to ensure swift prosecution.”
