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Nigeria’s opposition party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has launched a blistering attack on the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accusing it of pursuing a “dangerous” and ill-conceived policy of reintegrating repentant terrorists without justice or accountability.

In a strongly worded statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi , the party warned that the Federal Government’s approach reflects a troubling misunderstanding of the scale and severity of terrorism in Nigeria.

The ADC condemned what it described as a pattern of official rhetoric portraying terrorists as “brothers” and “prodigal sons,” arguing that such language trivialises a grave national security threat. According to the party, terrorism is “not a family dispute” but a sustained campaign of violence that has killed thousands, displaced millions, and devastated communities across the country.

The opposition party did not hold back, describing the policy direction as “confusion dressed up as policy” and, at worst, “a dangerous exercise in political appeasement.” It warned that prioritising rehabilitation over justice sends the wrong message to both victims and potential perpetrators.

“Reintegration without justice is not reconciliation; it is injustice,” the statement declared, insisting that any effort to reabsorb former insurgents into society without transparent prosecution processes, clear standards of repentance, and robust monitoring mechanisms amounts to a failure of leadership.

The ADC further accused the government of lacking clarity on critical issues, including who among the so-called repentant terrorists has been investigated or prosecuted, the criteria used to certify them as reformed, and the safeguards in place to protect affected communities.

It stressed that, in the absence of these assurances, the policy risks being perceived not just as incompetence but as a form of abdication of responsibility.

“A government that treats terrorists as errant family members is a government that is dangerously soft on terror,” the party said, warning that such an approach could embolden violent actors by suggesting that the consequences of terrorism are negotiable.

Reaffirming its stance, the ADC insisted that terrorism must be treated as an existential threat to the Nigerian state, with justice and accountability at the core of any response. It pledged that under its approach, perpetrators of grave crimes would face the full weight of the law, while the rights and voices of victims would take precedence.

The party concluded with a stark warning that Nigeria “cannot afford mixed signals” in a war that demands clarity, discipline, and firm leadership, cautioning that national security is too critical to be undermined by sentiment or political compromise.