Terrorism: Don’t treat entire communities as suspects, ex-IGP Abubakar warns

Former Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Abubakar has warned that indiscriminate treatment of communities in the name of counterterrorism could deepen discrimination, erode public trust and undermine democratic institutions.

Abubakar gave the warning on Saturday in Abuja at the launch of his book, Beyond the Bullet: Policing Terrorism in the Democratic System, which examines how security agencies can combat terrorism while upholding the rule of law, accountability and human rights.

The former police chief, who served as IGP from 2012 to 2014 under former President Goodluck Jonathan, said terrorism posed a challenge not only to security agencies but also to the laws, institutions and values underpinning democratic societies.

“For over three decades in uniform, I saw firsthand that terrorism tests democracies rather than it tests police and other security agencies,” he said.

“It challenges our laws, it challenges our institutions, and it damages our moral confidence.”

He said the urgency of tackling terrorist threats could push governments and security agencies towards measures that compromise democratic principles, stressing that protecting citizens should not come at the expense of their fundamental rights.

“So, this book is not just about security; it is about the kind of society we want to be, even when we face fear, anger, and real threats,” Abubakar said.

“It asks a simple but urgent question: ‘How do we protect people without sacrificing the principles that protect us from disabilities?’”