THE Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, has advised state governments to discontinue negotiations with bandits, warning that such engagements weaken ongoing military operations and give criminal groups room to thrive.
Gen. Musa gave the warning in an interview with BBC Hausa, arguing that past attempts at dialogue had consistently failed. He said armed groups often taook advantage of peace initiatives to reorganise and resume violent activities.
According to the defence minister, terrorists were rarely sincere in peace talks and frequently abandoned agreements reached with government officials once it suits them.
He revealed that the Ngerian government had raised concerns with the Katsina State government following its recent decision to secure the release of about 70 suspected bandits as part of a peace-building process.
Katsina officials had defended the move, saying it was aimed at strengthening community-based peace accords with individuals they described as ‘repentant bandits’ in some local government areas.
Musa, however, rejected the strategy, insisting that it threatened national security and undermined efforts to restore lasting peace.
Speaking in Hausa, he stressed that negotiation was not a sustainable solution, noting that bandits often came to reconciliation talks with hidden agendas.
“Negotiation with bandits is not a way out. Those people are not genuine. Whenever they come for reconciliation, they are looking for something. What is happening in Katsina, we warned them not to reconcile with such people. They are liars,” he said.
He added that security agencies had repeatedly urged state governments to stop engaging bandits, explaining that such moves would disrupt military plans designed to end insecurity.
“We appealed to them to stop negotiating. It is not right, and they will return to crime again. They do not fear God. We have told them that it affects our work. But this is a democracy, not military rule, so discussions are still ongoing,” Musa said.
The defence minister also dismissed claims that the Nigerian government paid ransom to kidnappers, describing such allegations as false.
He maintained that ransom payments only encouraged criminality and should be avoided, urging citizens to report kidnapping cases to security agencies.
“Paying ransom is not good. People should stop paying ransom when kidnappings occur. Reports should be made so action can be taken. The federal government does not pay ransom. If any ransom is paid, it is done by individuals on their own,” he said.
Northern governors negotiate
Northern politicians have, however, always violated the zero tolerance for negotiations. The recent case involving the Kastina State government is a typical example. In late 2025, the Kastina State government initiated the release of 70 persons suspected to be involved in banditry or, at best, terrorism.
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Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr Nasir Muazu, said the decision was taken to consolidate peace deals reached between affected communities and repentant terrorists across several local government areas of the state.
According to him, the peace deal, which involved at least 15 local government areas, led to the release of about 1,000 persons abducted during bandit attacks, likening the release of the suspects to prisoner exchanges that usually occurred during wartime.
“All over the world, after wars, prisoner exchanges usually take place. During Nigeria’s civil war, prisoners were exchanged, just as it happened in negotiations involving Boko Haram,” he said.
Similarly, popular Islamic cleric, Sheikh Gumi, has always canvassed for negotiations with terrorists, who he refers to as bandits. In his November 6, 2025 Facebook post, Mr Gumi said he led 600 bandits to surrender.
“I was at Sabon Garin Yadi forest, accompanied by the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police… This meeting was part of a peace initiative where we preached to over 600 bandits and their commanders, who agreed to lay down their arms in exchange for security and basic amenities,” he said, stating that the negotiation was transparent, legitimate and conducted with the approval and knowledge of the authorities.
He disclosed that the conditions presented by the bandits, including provision of basic amenities, protection from arbitrary arrests and assurances of safety, were not honoured by the Nigerian government, leading to the collapse of the peace deal.
Also, in 2022, Department of State Services confirmed that a former negotiator between the attackers of the Abuja-Kaduna train and the victims, Mr Tukur Mamu, was in its custody.
The service, which described Mamu, a prominent northerner, as a person of interest, said he was arrested on his way to Saudi Arabia and had been flown back to the country.
A statement by the agency’s spokesperson, Dr Peter Afunanya, said he was arrested by foreign partners, noting that Mamu had questions to answer on some security matters in parts of the country.
In 2019, no fewer than 210 repentant bandits laid down their arms and released all captives, according to Commissioner for Careers and Security Matters in Sokoto State, Col Garba Moyi (rtd), who served under the administration of Mr Aminu Tambuwal.
According to Col Moyi, “We have been dialoguing with them for a very long time and we have entered into an agreement with them. The agreement was to release all captives with them and they have done that.”
“For the past three months or more, nobody was kidnapped by the bandit and no village was attacked by the bandits as it used to happen. The senseless killings without any reason, all that has stopped. That is part of the agreement,” Moyi added.
In May 2021, the Zamfara State Police Command under CP Hussaini Rabiu, in collaboration with the state government Committee on Peace and Amnesty Programme headed by the Commissioner for Security and Home Affairs, Alhaji Abubakar Mohammed Dauran, facilitated the unconditional release of 53 Kidnapped victims, who were kidnapped on May 23, 2021 by terrorists.
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The release of the victims, according to the report, was a fulfilment of pledge made by some repentant bandits to actively key into the peace agenda of the state government under the leadership of Mr Mohammed Bello Matawalle and also collaborate with the security agencies to fight their kinsmen who refused to renounce criminal activities and turn a new leaf.
Earlier in March 2021, Gov Bello Matawalle of Zamfara had admitted that repentant bandits in the state assisted security agencies in the operation that led to the rescue of 279 Jangebe school girls, News Agency of Nigeria reported.
In January 2025, Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, revealed reasons why his administration opted for peace deal with bandits unleashing terror in some parts of the state.
Speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa service, Sani said the decision to opt for dialogue was driven by people’s pleas for an end to the violence, especially residents hit by the violence, Daily Trust reported.
“It is the people affected by the violence that called for the dialogue. For example, the Emir of Birnin Gwari has come with his subjects calling for dialogue,” he said.
“When I asked his reason, he said our communities have been plagued by the scourge of banditry, resulting in tragic loss of lives and abduction of our people, for over a decade now, with no lasting solution in sight,” he noted.
“I’d rather negotiate with bandits than to bear the weight of a single life lost in Kaduna. If not, I will be held accountable on the day of resurrection, having promised and sworn an oath,” Gov Sani further admitted.
