If I become president, I will classify kidnappers and bandits as terrorist organizations, says Hayatu-Deen.

Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, the presidential hopeful of the African Democratic Congress, has pledged to officially classify bandits and kidnapping syndicates as terrorist organisations if he becomes president in 2027, stating that Nigeria can no longer tolerate the widespread insecurity and organised crime that plagues the nation.

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At the Mohammed Hayatu-Deen Townhall, organised by Team Rebuild in Abuja on Friday, Hayatu-Deen, a former banker and economist, vowed to launch a comprehensive crackdown on violent criminal groups, adopting a zero-tolerance approach to insecurity from the outset of his administration.

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The growing wave of kidnappings, bandit attacks, and violent crimes across the country has exposed the weakness of state institutions and eroded public confidence in the government, according to Hayatu-Deen, who spoke at the town hall.

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Nigeria has witnessed a surge in armed banditry, mass abductions, terrorist attacks, and communal violence in recent years, particularly in the North-West, North-Central, and North-East regions, resulting in the displacement of thousands of citizens and repeated attacks on schools, farms, highways, and rural communities.

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Security experts and civil society organisations have consistently criticised the Federal Government's response to insecurity, citing weak coordination, poor intelligence gathering, and the lack of deterrent prosecutions as factors that have emboldened criminal networks.

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Hayatu-Deen addressed party supporters and stakeholders at the town hall, urging the country to stop "normalising fear, criminality, and lawlessness" and emphasizing that insecurity now poses one of the gravest threats to Nigeria's survival, economic stability, and national cohesion.

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He declared, "That is why, on Day One of my administration, bandits and kidnapping syndicates will be formally designated as terrorist organisations," and added that every bandit and kidnapper will be prosecuted under the Terrorism Act.

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The assets of individuals and networks financing criminality will be identified and frozen, and the era of negotiating endlessly with violent criminal networks must come to an end, Hayatu-Deen stated.

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Under Nigeria's Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, individuals or groups designated as terrorists face stricter prosecution measures, while authorities are empowered to seize assets, disrupt financing channels, and impose heavier criminal penalties.

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Hayatu-Deen argued that successive governments have failed to confront insecurity with the necessary urgency and discipline, resulting in millions of Nigerians living in fear and economic activities suffering.

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He described the security crisis as both a national tragedy and a reflection of failed leadership, noting that meaningful economic development cannot occur in an environment where citizens are unable to move freely or invest confidently.

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Hayatu-Deen shared a personal account of how insecurity has affected his family, revealing that his sister was once abducted and held captive for three years, and stated, "I understand what insecurity does to a family, to a community, and to the confidence of an entire nation."

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Borno State, where Hayatu-Deen grew up, remains one of the epicentres of Nigeria's prolonged insurgency crisis, having endured years of attacks linked to Boko Haram and other armed groups, resulting in thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions across the North-East region.

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Hayatu-Deen maintained that Nigeria's security challenges cannot be solved through rhetoric or temporary political responses, and instead require disciplined leadership, professional law enforcement, and economic reforms to work together.

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He argued that rising unemployment, poverty, and hopelessness continue to fuel criminal recruitment and violent extremism, and that efforts to restore national security must be accompanied by policies that expand economic opportunities for young Nigerians.

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Hayatu-Deen stated, "Jobs also help reduce the supply of recruits available to criminal gangs, terrorists, and violent networks," and unveiled plans for a National Jobs Programme designed to create public works opportunities in vulnerable communities and stimulate employment nationwide.

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As part of his broader economic recovery agenda, he also promised incentives for businesses that create jobs and expand local economic activity.

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Hayatu-Deen said Nigerians are increasingly tired of political slogans and excuses, and instead want competent leadership capable of producing measurable outcomes, stating, "Nigerians are asking for solutions."

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He added, "They are asking for leadership that understands the pain that they are going through and has the experience, discipline, and capacity required to fix what is broken."

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The town hall attracted members of the FCT ADC State Working Committee, party stakeholders, and supporters, many of whom endorsed Hayatu-Deen's presidential aspiration and praised his emphasis on security reform, economic recovery, and accountable leadership.

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Reaffirming his ambition, Hayatu-Deen said his campaign would focus on presenting Nigerians with "serious leadership and practical solutions," and that the ADC must position itself as a credible alternative capable of restoring trust in governance and rebuilding national hope ahead of the 2027 general election.