We will establish special terrorism courts if elected — ADC

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has pledged to establish special terrorism courts to ensure the swift prosecution of terror-related cases if voted into power in 2027.

Bolaji Abdullahi, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, disclosed this in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, outlining what he described as a comprehensive counter-terrorism framework anchored on four key pillars.

According to him, the proposed strategy will focus on local-level intelligence gathering, state-level prevention and deterrence, national-level coordination and enforcement, as well as regional collaboration with neighbouring countries.

He stressed that an ADC-led Government would adopt a firm stance against terrorism, prioritising the protection of citizens and enforcing strict consequences for acts of violence.

“Like in all other things, ADC will put citizens first. We will not coddle terrorists. The message will be clear; there will be severe consequences for killing a Nigerian. A terrorist will neither be a son nor a brother; they are the enemy and will be treated as such,” he added.

Abdullahi also criticised recent remarks by top Government officials, warning that referring to terrorists in familial terms risks normalising criminality and undermining the seriousness of the security crisis.

“Such rhetoric reflects 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,” he said.

The ADC Spokesman maintained that under an ADC Administration, there would be no ambiguity in dealing with bandits, kidnappers, and terrorists, adding that they would be treated as enemies of the State.