Nigeria Can’t Continue To Normalise Criminality, Fear — Hayatu-Deen

Frontline presidential aspirant on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, has declared that Nigeria can no longer continue to “normalise fear, criminality, and lawlessness,” as he unveiled a tough national security agenda aimed at crushing banditry, kidnapping, and violent criminal networks across the country.

Speaking on Thursday at the Mohammed Hayatu-Deen Townhall organised by Team Rebuild in Abuja, Hayatu-Deen said insecurity has become one of the greatest threats to Nigeria’s survival, warning that no nation can prosper when citizens live under constant fear and uncertainty.

The former banker and economist said his administration would move decisively from Day One to restore order, rebuild confidence in public institutions, and re-establish the authority of the Nigerian state.

“That is why, on Day One of my administration, bandits and kidnapping syndicates will be formally designated as terrorist organisations,” Hayatu-Deen declared. “Every bandit and every kidnapper will be prosecuted under the Terrorism Act. The assets of those financing criminality will be identified and frozen. And the era of endlessly negotiating with violent criminal networks must come to an end.”

Hayatu-Deen described the country’s worsening insecurity as both a national tragedy and a direct consequence of failed leadership, stating that millions of Nigerians now live in fear while businesses, farming communities, and local economies continue to suffer repeated attacks from criminal groups.

He said insecurity is deeply personal to him, recalling how his own family was directly affected by kidnapping.

“I grew up in Borno State. My own family has experienced the painful realities of insecurity. My sister was kidnapped and held for three years,” he said. “I understand what insecurity does to a family, to a community, and to the confidence of an entire nation.”

According to him, Nigeria’s current security crisis cannot be solved through rhetoric or temporary political measures, but through disciplined leadership, strong enforcement, and economic renewal that creates opportunities for young people vulnerable to criminal recruitment.

The ADC presidential aspirant stressed that national security and economic recovery must go hand in hand, noting that widespread unemployment and hopelessness continue to fuel violent extremism, banditry, and organised criminality.

“Jobs also help reduce the supply of recruits available to criminal gangs, terrorists, and violent networks,” he said. “Countries that fail to create opportunities often become trapped in cycles of insecurity and social unrest.”

As part of his broader security and economic recovery plan, Hayatu-Deen announced proposals for a National Jobs Programme focused on guaranteed public works in vulnerable communities, incentives for businesses that create jobs, and targeted interventions aimed at expanding economic opportunities across Nigeria.

He argued that Nigerians are tired of excuses and political slogans, insisting that the country now requires leadership capable of delivering measurable results.

“Nigerians are asking for solutions. They are asking for leadership that understands the pain they are going through and has the experience, discipline, and capacity required to fix what is broken,” he said.

The townhall also witnessed a strong show of support from party stakeholders, including a cross-section of stakeholders and members of the FCT ADC State Working Committee, who endorsed Hayatu-Deen’s presidential aspiration and commended his focus on security, national unity, and competent leadership.

Hayatu-Deen reaffirmed that his campaign is focused on presenting Nigerians with “serious leadership and practical solutions,” adding that the ADC must offer the country “a credible alternative capable of defeating insecurity, rebuilding trust, and restoring hope.”