The national security adviser, Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd.) and the governor of Kaduna State, Dr Nasir el-Rufai have vehemently opposed any dialogue with or amnesty for bandits and other criminal elements terrorising Nigerians.
Monguno who spoke at the State House Briefing in Aso Villa, Abuja on Thursday stated that the government was not interested in holding any talks with bandits, terrorists and other criminal elements in the country.
He said dialogue with insurgents paints the government as weak and incapable, adding that the government would use maximum force on the insurgents.
He said the brigands are not looking for any legitimate thing. Instead, he said their stock in trade is to “perform atrocities, to take calculated measures to inflict pain, violence on people.”
He said the government had resolved to use its military and intelligence assets to eliminate the trouble makers.
“The government is tackling the problem of insecurity, we’ve said this many times that there are two phases in solving this problem –the soft approach: talking, negotiating, and so on and so forth.
“While the government is not averse to talking to these entities, these human beings, I have to be very honest, the government has to apply its weight, that force that is required because you can’t even talk with people who are unreliable, who will turn out to do a different thing and people who will continue to hurt the society.
“So, basically, what the government wants to rely upon is to deal with this issue by using all the assets – military assets, intelligence assets to eliminate these people.
“If along the line, some of them are ready to come out and talk and negotiate, when the time comes, we will do that but for now, we can’t keep on dwelling on ‘Let’s dialogue’.
“Psychologically, it is not even good for us, it paints the picture of weakness, it paints the picture of incapacity and I, just like the governor of Kaduna State said, do not see any reason why we cannot, with what we have, deal with these elements.
“These are not people who are looking for anything that is genuine (or) legitimate; these are people who are just out to perform atrocities, to take calculated measures to inflict pain, violence on people.
“At the slightest opportunity, they go haywire. And so, it is important for us to realise that we are dealing with people who are not looking for anything, people who without provocation will give birth to their homicidal instincts. We must deal with them the way they have to be dealt with.”
For his part, El-Rufai said bandits had challenged the sovereignty of Nigeria and must therefore be wiped out.
Speaking in Kaduna yesterday while receiving the 2020 Security Report from the state commissioner for internal security and home affairs, Mr. Samuel Aruwan, the governor said his administration would never negotiate with the criminals.
He said the activities of the criminals had driven farmers from their land and shaken the confidence of the people.
El-Rufai said food security in the country is at risk in view of activities of criminal elements across the country.
“Banditry has severely impacted the rural economy and shaken the confidence of the citizens.
“It has driven farmers from their land putting food security at risk; displaced communities, stolen property and deprived people of their right to life.
“We must put a stop to these criminal acts and enable our people to live their lives in peace and safety. This is a most urgent task.”
He said his position on bandits is unequivocal and consistent.
“Bandits, cattle rustlers and armed militias must be degraded and decimated to a state of unconditional submission to constituted authority.
“We will neither negotiate with criminals of any description nor support any grant of amnesty. Criminal gangs, bandits, insurgents and ethno-religious militias made a conscious choice to challenge Nigeria’s sovereignty and menace our citizens.
“These criminals must be wiped out immediately and without hesitation.
“I am assured by the recent directive given to the federal security agencies to wipe out such gun-wielding criminals by the president,” he added.
