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By Oscar Okhifo
Former presidential aspirant of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, on Tuesday urged the Federal Government and state governments to declare insecurity a national emergency, warning that the persistent wave of terrorism, banditry and violent attacks across the country poses a serious threat to Nigeria’s stability, economic growth and national cohesion.
Hayatu-Deen made the call while expressing concern over the worsening security situation nationwide, stressing that the escalating attacks by terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements require urgent, coordinated and decisive action from all levels of government to safeguard lives, secure communities and restore public confidence.
He noted that insecurity has reached an alarming level and can no longer be treated as a routine challenge, insisting that insecurity is not just a “security issue; it is an economic issue, a governance issue and a national survival issue. It must be treated as a national emergency.”
According to him, the continued wave of violent attacks has devastated rural communities, displaced thousands of residents, and severely disrupted farming activities and local commerce, deepening hardship and worsening food insecurity across the country.
He further argued that addressing the crisis requires a holistic security approach that combines military response with intelligence-led operations, modern surveillance technology, community-based policing, and socio-economic interventions aimed at tackling the underlying drivers of insecurity.
The former presidential aspirant also called for stronger collaboration among the Federal Government, state governments, security agencies and local communities to improve intelligence sharing and effectively dismantle criminal networks operating across the country, while urging authorities to adequately equip and motivate security personnel.
Warning that continued inaction could further damage the country’s economy and social stability, Hayatu-Deen said: “Nigerians have lived with fear for too long. Farmers deserve to farm. Traders deserve to trade. Children deserve to travel safely. Citizens deserve a government that can defend them. It is time to restore order, restore confidence and restore the authority of the Nigerian state.”
He therefore urged governments at all levels to demonstrate stronger political will by treating insecurity as a national emergency and committing all necessary resources and coordination to restore peace, safeguard lives and property, and rebuild confidence in governance across the country.
He also aligned his position with growing concerns expressed by prominent national figures, including former INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, former Chief of Staff to the President, Ambassador Ibrahim Gambari, and others, who have repeatedly stressed that “enough is enough” and called for more decisive action from the Federal Government and international partners to counter and ultimately overcome terrorist and bandit networks destabilising the country.