Abdulsalam Abubakar Tells NGF Not To Negotiate With Bandits

Former Head of State, General Abdusalami Abubakar (Rtd) has said negotiating with terrorists and bandits is not the best way to tackle insecurity.

Abubakar said this while speaking to newsmen after a meeting with the Nigerian Governors Forum in Minna.

He mentioned that the best way to solve Nigeria’s banditry and kidnapping problems is to ensure that the crimes are not committed in the first place.

While admitting that sometimes negotiations might be used to save the lives of kidnap victims, General Abdulsalami said Nigeria needs tight security that can checkmate the miscreants before they strike.

Speaking on the Kagara abduction, Abdulsalami said it will be unwise for anyone to, however, storm a hideout of bandits to rescue students.

“Even if anyone knows the location of students, it will be foolhardy to storm the place in a bid to fight and bring them back. In the process, some innocent lives will be lost.

He, however, advised the authorities to ensure that security is beefed up alongside an increase in manpower to forestall further occurrences.

“Nigeria’s security architecture is overstretched and the Police Force is underpopulated, hence the need for support from the citizens and an increase in manpower.

“Nigeria must go back to the time when brotherly love existed. Let us go back to when we were our brothers’ keeper,” Abdulsalami pleaded.