SDP Presidential Candidate Pledges Decisive Action Against Terrorism, Illegal Mining

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo, says he will adopt decisive action in tackling terrorism, insecurity and illegal mining if elected president in 2027.
Adebayo made the pledge while featuring on NAN Personality Interview Series in Abuja on Sunday.
He said ​‌‍​​​⁠‍⁠⁠‌‍‌⁠‍⁠​‌​‌​that his administration would reclaim territories controlled by terrorists and criminal elements, and dismantle their economic networks sustaining insecurity.
Adebayo, who noted that insecurity was concentrated in identifiable areas, argued that government had sufficient knowledge of places where terrorists and criminal elements operate in parts of the country.
He, however, noted that insecurity had assumed wider dimensions, including kidnapping, armed robbery and other criminal activities in some parts of the country.
“In the places where you have insecurity, they are well marked out. You have general lack of safety across, even inside Abuja. If you are not careful, you can enter one-chance,” he said.
The presidential candidate said government must demonstrate ownership and control of the country’s territory by ensuring that no criminal group operated freely within Nigeria.
He alleged that the continued insecurity was partly linked to what he described as collusion and “stage-playing” between some government officials and criminal elements.
“When government and bandits are now stage-playing and deceiving the public, that is what has kept it (insecurity),” he said.
Adebayo also criticised rising defence expenditure, alleging that increased allocations had not translated into improved welfare for Nigerian security personnel.
He alleged that insecurity had also created opportunities for financial abuses because public expenditure could be attributed to ransom payments or emergency security operations.
“That is why the budget for defence is going higher, higher and higher, and the soldiers are getting poorer and poorer.
“It is only through insecurity that a governor can steal N500 million without question because he will say, ‘I used it to pay kidnappers,’’ he said.
Adebayo further linked insecurity to illegal mining, particularly in areas endowed with mineral resources like gold, tantalite and lithium.
According to him, criminal elements exploit insecurity to facilitate illegal mining activities and enable foreign-linked operators to extract mineral resources without appropriate payments to government.
“Tackling insecurity therefore requires more than military operations. Government must also address the economic interests benefitting from criminality.
“Anywhere you see minerals, gold, tantalite, lithium, you will see insecurity there,” he said.
Adebayo said his administration would work with communities and security agencies to confront terrorists and other criminal networks operating across the country.
He claimed that the current situation had left ordinary Nigerians bearing the consequences of insecurity, while criminal elements continued to exploit the country’s resources.
“In our government, for the first time, the government and the people will go against the terrorists,” he said.
Adebayo also identified agriculture and food production as critical components of Nigeria’s security strategy, arguing that insecurity had severely undermined economic activities in affected communities.
He said restoring security to farming communities would enable Nigerians to return to productive activities, improve food supply and create economic opportunities.
“Agriculture is God’s gift. It’s only sheer blindness and wickedness that can make a people who are so-soiled to be hungry,” he said.
The presidential candidate said that government must also investigate the interests benefitting from insecurity, asking: “Who is tolerating it? Who is benefiting from it?”
He said effective leadership should combine military action, policing, economic development and accountable governance to address the country’s security challenges.
“The solution to our problems are more than the number of our problems. But you need leadership to harness everything together,” Adebayo said.