Insecurity: Negotiating With Bandits Is Not The Best — Abdulsalami

Former Head of State, Retired General Abdusalami Abubakar says
negotiating with terrorists and bandits is not the best way to
tackle the menace.

Speaking on Tuesday after a meeting with the Nigerian Governors’
Forum in Minna, the former president stated that the best way to
solve Nigeria’s banditry and kidnapping issues is to first make
sure that the crimes are not committed.

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

Making a reference to the Kagara abduction, Abdulsalami noted
that “even if anyone knows where the students are, it will be
foolhardy to storm the place in a bid to fight and bring them
back”, arguing that in the process some innocent lives will be
lost.

He, however, urged the authorities to ensure that security is
beefed up to forestall further occurrences.

According to him, the nation’s security architecture is
overstretched and the Police Force is underpopulated, hence the
need for support from the citizens and an increase in manpower.

General Abdulsalami appealed that all hands must be on deck to
ensure that insecurity in the country is tackled appropriately. He
was of the opinion that the nation must go back to the time when
brotherly love existed.

“Let us go back to when we were our brothers’ keeper,”
Abdulsalami pleaded.

The elder statesman said it is sad that citizens are now being
seen as strangers and are looked at with suspicion when they leave
their states of origin and visit other parts of the country.

In a similar vein, former military president, General Ibrahim
Badamasi Babangida says the security threats faced by Nigeria at
this time, can be dealt with.

In an interview on Tuesday, General Babangida stated that the
nation can overcome its security issues if those in the position of
authority plan appropriately.

He said quashing the threats posed by kidnappers, bandits, and
the insurgents require a lot of planning, adding that it is not a
short-term plan.

General IBB said he has obtained information suggesting that
security agencies are working together to map out new strategies on
how to deal with the situation.

The former president while stating that he is concerned about
the situation in the country, urged the government and the
citizenry to join forces to overcome the problem.

Former Head of State, Retired General Abdusalami Abubakar says
negotiating with terrorists and bandits is not the best way to
tackle the menace.

Speaking on Tuesday after a meeting with the Nigerian Governors’
Forum in Minna, the former president stated that the best way to
solve Nigeria’s banditry and kidnapping issues is to first make
sure that the crimes are not committed.

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

Making a reference to the Kagara abduction, Abdulsalami noted
that “even if anyone knows where the students are, it will be
foolhardy to storm the place in a bid to fight and bring them
back”, arguing that in the process some innocent lives will be
lost.

He, however, urged the authorities to ensure that security is
beefed up to forestall further occurrences.

According to him, the nation’s security architecture is
overstretched and the Police Force is underpopulated, hence the
need for support from the citizens and an increase in manpower.

General Abdulsalami appealed that all hands must be on deck to
ensure that insecurity in the country is tackled appropriately. He
was of the opinion that the nation must go back to the time when
brotherly love existed.

“Let us go back to when we were our brothers’ keeper,”
Abdulsalami pleaded.

The elder statesman said it is sad that citizens are now being
seen as strangers and are looked at with suspicion when they leave
their states of origin and visit other parts of the country.

In a similar vein, former military president, General Ibrahim
Badamasi Babangida says the security threats faced by Nigeria at
this time, can be dealt with.

In an interview on Tuesday, General Babangida stated that the
nation can overcome its security issues if those in the position of
authority plan appropriately.

He said quashing the threats posed by kidnappers, bandits, and
the insurgents require a lot of planning, adding that it is not a
short-term plan.

General IBB said he has obtained information suggesting that
security agencies are working together to map out new strategies on
how to deal with the situation.

The former president while stating that he is concerned about
the situation in the country, urged the government and the
citizenry to join forces to overcome the problem.