The African Democratic Congress (ADC) said the plan by the President Bola Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration to reintegrate almost 800 terrorists into Nigerian communities is dangerous to the fight against terrorism in the country.
ADC, in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, accused the Federal Government of “soft on terror and clueless on security” in the country.
The party reminded President Tinubu that terrorism is an existential threat to the nation, warning that reintegration without clear accountability and justice for victims indicates injustice and dangerously encourages terrorism.
“Taken together with a pattern of official remarks over time describing such individuals as ‘brothers’ and even ‘prodigal sons,’ this decision points to a deeper and more troubling reality: a government that does not fully grasp the nature or scale of the threat it faces,” ADC said.
According to the party, terrorism is not a family dispute, or a moral metaphor, but 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 weakness,” the party stated.
ADC said what Nigerians are witnessing is not a coherent security strategy, but “confusion dressed up as policy; at worst, a dangerous policy of political appeasement that compounds the tragedy of victims of terror.”
It noted that the government claimed to be prosecuting a war against terror but it appeared, according to the party, that the administration is eager to reintroduce insurgents, who have waged a war against the Nigerian state, into society without first establishing clear processes for justice, and without transparent standards for determining genuine repentance and credible safeguards to protect the communities they are being returned to.
“This is not balanced. It is a dangerous failure of judgment and political accommodation taken too far,” ADC said.
It stated that a government that treats terrorists as errant family members is a government that is dangerously soft on terror, warning that reintegration without justice is not reconciliation but 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 party stated.
ADC accused President Tinubu administration of failure to answer the most basic questions that any serious government must confront in a matter of this magnitude.
“Nigerians do not know who has been investigated, who has been prosecuted, or on what basis individuals are deemed safe for reintegration.
“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,” ADC said.
It believes that terrorism must be treated as an existential threat to the Nigerian state, adding that the approach should 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,” ADC added.
