The Kaduna State Government has reiterated its stance not to negotiate
with bandits and insisted that only total annihilation of the criminals
would end banditry.
The government was reacting to some commentators who blamed it for
asserting that the government would not reward hoodlums.
The criticism of the government followed mass abduction of students and
the killing of at least five of them recently.
The commentators had also unearthed a video clip in which Gov. Nasir
El-Rufai had berated President Goodluck Jonathan for not negotiating
with the abductors of the Chibok school girls in 2014.
The government reaction was contained in a statement issued by Muyiwa
Adekeye, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication,
issued in Kaduna on Tuesday.
It explained that the stance of the El-Rufai over the 2014 kidnap of
Chibok girls was based on the circumstances at the time.
“The years since 2014 may have led some people to forget the denial and
doubt that defined the Federal Government’s response to the Chibok
abductions, especially the initial refusal to acknowledge that it
happened.
“That was the context under which civic pressures were brought on the
government,” it said.
It added that, “Nigeria’s journey since the 2014 Chibok tragedy has
proven that the solution to violent crimes, including terrorism and
banditry, is a robust response from the state and its coercive agencies.
“The quantum of money paid as ransom following many negotiations with
bandits have not stopped kidnappings, reduced their frequency or
deterred the criminals.
“The experience of many states in the Northwest of Nigeria since 2015
has included cattle rustling, kidnappings, killings and the devastation
of communities by criminals.
“Several states sought to negotiate their way out of the problems by
talking to bandits, paying them money or offering them amnesty.
“This has not worked and has only encouraged the criminals to press
ahead for a surrender of the public treasury to them. That is clearly
not in the public interest.
“Mass abduction was like in novelty in 2014. But the facts have changed
since then.
“Negotiations and ransoms have been undertaken, but these have not
stopped the criminals. It has only encouraged them.
“It is only prudent to review one’s position when the facts change, and
the suggestion made by a citizen years ago cannot be taken as the
immutable answer to a serious problem which has evolved since 2014, no
matter the viral replays of the said video clip.”
The statement stressed that the state has been consistently transparent
about its security challenges and support to security agencies.
“We are engaging the Federal Government to have security responses that
move away from reactive response of repelling bandits towards a
comprehensive, proactive offensive that takes the battle to the
criminals and uproots them,” it added.
The state government reminded that it has no direct control of any of
the security agencies and will not compound the job of security agencies
by giving criminals the resources to acquire more arms.
The government stressed that it was deeply concerned about the recent
kidnaps and killings of some students in tertiary institutions, and
sympathised with their families.
“We mourn the dead students and we offer our condolences to the family
and friends of the deceased.
“The ruthless and heartless resort of the kidnappers to murdering these
young persons is part of their effort to further their blackmail and
compel us to abandon our ‘no-ransom, no-negotiation’ policy.”
It added that the government would not surrender to the antics of the
criminals or create an incentive for them to commit more crime.