Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, has argued that negotiating with bandits is not an effective strategy for tackling insecurity, warning that such engagements could strengthen criminal groups rather than weaken them.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Ganduje was responding to comments attributed to the vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Kwankwaso, who reportedly said that he and the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, would engage in dialogue with terrorists if elected in the 2027 general election.
Ganduje said security operations should remain the responsibility of Nigeria’s security agencies, including the Armed Forces, the Police, and the Department of State Services (DSS), rather than relying on negotiations with armed groups.
He questioned the practicality of negotiating with bandits, noting that possession of firearms without government authorization is illegal in Nigeria.
According to him, allowing armed groups to come out of forests for talks with government officials, traditional rulers, or local authorities has proven ineffective.
He further argued that negotiations often involve financial incentives, transportation, motorcycles, and other forms of logistical support, which he said ultimately empower the criminals.
Ganduje warned that such arrangements could provide bandits with additional resources obtained through kidnappings and other criminal activities, enabling them to acquire more weapons and continue their operations.
He maintained that rewarding armed groups through negotiations would only encourage further violence and insecurity, insisting that the strategy has failed in the past and is unlikely to succeed in the future.
