The Federal Government has cautioned state governments against negotiating peace agreements with bandits, warning that such arrangements are deceptive and undermine national security efforts.
The warning was issued by the Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, during an interview in which he expressed concern over the growing tendency of some states to engage armed groups in dialogue as a means of restoring peace.
According to Musa, experience has shown that bandit groups often exploit peace talks to regroup, rearm, and expand their criminal activities, rather than genuinely abandon violence. He stressed that agreements reached under such circumstances rarely lead to lasting peace and can weaken coordinated national security operations.
The defence minister noted that while dialogue is an important tool in conflict resolution, it should not be misapplied in situations involving criminal elements whose primary motive is profit through violence, kidnapping, and terror. He emphasized that banditry is a criminal enterprise and must be treated as such.
Musa further explained that allowing individual states to strike separate deals with bandits creates gaps in the country’s security architecture and sends conflicting signals to security agencies on the ground. He called for a unified, intelligence-driven approach to tackling insecurity across the country.
The Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening military operations, improving intelligence sharing, and working with state governments to restore peace without compromising the rule of law.
The warning comes amid ongoing security challenges in parts of northern Nigeria, where bandit attacks, kidnappings, and communal violence have continued to threaten lives and livelihoods.
