President Muhammadu Buhari has put paid to the call for amnesty to bandits who have killed, maimed, kidnapped and committed some other atrocious crimes against Nigerians.
Speaking yesterday while declaring open a joint security meeting of Northern Governors’ Forum, Northern Traditional Rulers Council and delegation from the federal government in Kaduna State, the president said the government will continue to deal with insurgents, bandits, kidnappers and other criminals who constitute a threat to innocent citizens across the country.
The president’s pronouncement came in the wake of the campaign by an Islamic cleric, Sheikh Abubakar Gumi, the governor of Zamfara State, Dr Bello Matawalle and the house of assembly to grant amnesty to bandits.
Gumi had advocated that granting amnesty to bandits was better than engaging them warfare.
The president who was represented by his chief of staff, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, stated that security challenges confronting the nation had slowed down the process of getting Nigerians out of poverty and economic deprivation.
He urged Nigerians to treat criminals as criminals and stop ethnic profiling.
He said he had already directed heads of security agencies to develop plans to end criminality in the country.
“I must appreciate the efforts of the 19 Northern States Governors’ Forum for their contribution towards national growth and development, especially in this challenging period in our nation’s being where certain fundamental corporate existence needs to be frankly deliberated upon and actionable resolutions reached,” the president said.
“This meeting is coming at a time when the nation is making steady progress in addressing the many challenges impeding developmental and progress. We are providing critical infrastructure such as roads, railways, airports among others which are critical to economic prosperity of our people as well as opening up economic opportunities for our citizens to pursue legitimate aspirations that grow the economy.
“At the same time, we are confronting the various dimensions of security challenges that continue to slow down the emancipation of our people from poverty and economic deprivation. The government shall continue to deal with insurgents, bandits, kidnappers and other criminals who constitute a threat to innocent citizens across the country.
“Criminals are criminals and should be dealt with accordingly, without resorting to ethnic profiling. I have already tasked the new Service Chiefs to devise new strategies that will end this ugly situation where the lives of our people continue to be threatened by hoodlums and criminals.
“I expect that at this meeting, your Forum will also discuss and devise ways of building stronger collaboration with the security architecture and the people in defeating criminality across the region and the nation at large.
“It is pertinent to note that the increased realization of our security, democracy and development indices are inextricably linked. Democracy and rule of law promote stability and in turn reinforce the power to assert freedom and economic progress of our people,” he said.
Apart from Gambari, others present at the meeting were the meeting were the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Sa’ad Abubakar111; inspector general of police, Mohammed Adamu; director general of Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Yusuf Bichi, minister of information and culture, Mr. Lai Mohammed, senate president, Mr. Ahmad Lawan; deputy speaker of the house of representatives, Mr. Idris Wase as well as leaders of the Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF), Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF).
The governors of Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Jigawa, Nasarawa, Yobe, Plateau, Sokoto and Kebbi states were also present at the meeting while others were represented by their deputies.
