Abubakar Adamu Mohammed, former chief security officer to ex-military president Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), has urged a sterner response to Nigeria’s security crisis, saying convicted terrorists and violent offenders should receive capital punishment rather than rehabilitation.
In an interview with LEADERSHIP in Kaduna, Mohammed argued that persistent insecurity stems from a weak justice framework that fails to deter criminality. “If you do not make the punishment hurt, crime will not stop,” he said, adding that past periods of strict enforcement produced better results in curbing street-level crime.
Mohammed said the failure to carry out death sentences handed down by competent courts has eroded deterrence and emboldened criminal networks. “Once a court finds an accused guilty beyond reasonable doubt and sentences them to death, the implementation of such judgment should not be stalled by political considerations,” he said, questioning why convicted killers are kept in correctional facilities at public expense.
The retired military police officer also criticised what he described as reluctance by some state governors to sign execution warrants, a hesitation he said weakens the justice system. Recalling his time as coordinator of Operation Yaki in Kaduna State, Mohammed said efforts to ensure convicted bandits faced the full consequences of their crimes were often frustrated by bureaucratic and legal delays.
He cited the administration of former Lagos military governor Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd) as an example of firm security enforcement that helped restore order and reduce street crime. “Effective governance requires firmness in dealing with offenders,” Mohammed said, warning that leniency could exacerbate insecurity nationwide.
Mohammed broadened his critique to include systemic corruption and accountability gaps among public officials. He argued punishment should extend beyond armed criminals to politicians who misuse public funds or neglect basic development responsibilities, saying such conduct deepens public frustration and fuels instability.
On social issues, the retired officer called for more structured interventions to address the out-of-school children and Almajiri systems in northern Nigeria. He urged state governments to combine child welfare measures with parental responsibility campaigns, stressing that education and social investment are critical to preventing vulnerable children from being drawn into crime or extremist networks.
Mohammed warned that rising inequality and poverty, if left unchecked, could further destabilise the country. He reiterated that Nigeria’s security challenges will remain unresolved unless the justice system is strengthened and offenders — regardless of status — face appropriate consequences.
