Abuja — Presidential aspirant and development advocate, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, has called for an urgent nationwide response to Nigeria's deepening security and economic crises, warning that the country risks a dangerous descent into lawlessness unless decisive action is taken.
Hayatu-Deen's intervention comes amid growing public concern over rising incidents of terrorism, banditry, kidnappings and violent attacks across several parts of the country, including the recent death of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, who reportedly died while being held by kidnappers after his abduction alongside his wife in Katsina State.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, by his Media Office,Hayatu-Deen described the late General Abubakar as a patriotic officer who served Nigeria with distinction, lamenting that his death reflects the worsening state of insecurity confronting citizens nationwide.
He also highlighted a string of recent violent incidents that have shaken communities across the country. He noted that schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Oriire, Oyo State, have remained in captivity for nearly a month, while attacks in Kogi State claimed the lives of a vice principal, a six-year-old child and another resident during the conduct of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination.
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He further referenced the terrorist assault on Kautikari village near Chibok in Borno State, the earlier abduction of more than 40 students in Askira-Uba, and the killing of an officer and six soldiers in Kaduna State, describing the incidents as part of a troubling pattern of violence spreading across the country.
According to him, the growing insecurity has reached alarming proportions, citing Nigeria's ranking as the fourth most terrorism-affected nation globally and reports indicating a 46 per cent increase in terrorism-related deaths.
While expressing condolences to the families of General Abubakar, fallen military personnel and other victims of violent crimes, Hayatu-Deen stressed that sympathy alone can no longer address the scale of the crisis.
"This is not a partisan statement. I have no interest in scoring political points off the graves of our soldiers or the suffering of our children. I speak as a concerned private citizen," he stated.
Hayatu-Deen argued that insecurity and economic hardship have become mutually reinforcing challenges, warning that rising poverty, unemployment and soaring living costs are creating conditions that enable criminal groups to recruit vulnerable youths.
To address the situation, he urged both the federal and state governments to strengthen social welfare programmes, support struggling businesses, provide targeted assistance to farmers displaced by insecurity and expand safety nets for vulnerable households.
He also welcomed the House of Representatives' approval of constitutional amendments seeking to establish state police, describing the initiative as a potentially significant step toward improving grassroots security architecture.
He called on the Senate to expedite action on the proposal while ensuring adequate safeguards against abuse, corruption and political manipulation.
Beyond constitutional reforms, Hayatu-Deen advocated stronger community policing structures, improved intelligence gathering, enhanced collaboration among security agencies and the revitalisation of the Multinational Joint Task Force to combat cross-border terrorism.
He further called for increased investment in the armed forces through aggressive recruitment, improved welfare packages, better remuneration, modern equipment, advanced training and comprehensive support for families of fallen personnel.
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The development expert commended the military for recent operational successes, particularly the rescue of 360 women and children from a terrorist enclave in Borno State, but maintained that more comprehensive measures are needed to secure lasting peace.
Emphasising that insecurity can no longer be viewed solely as a government problem, Hayatu-Deen urged Nigerians, community leaders, civil society organisations and policymakers to embrace a "whole-of-society" approach to tackling both insecurity and economic deprivation.
He maintained that only through collective action, national unity and sustained commitment to reforms can Nigeria overcome its current challenges and restore stability, safety and economic prosperity for its citizens.
