The activities of terrorists, bandits, armed herdsmen, kidnappers and other forms of crime have almost brought the country to its knees.
Kaduna State, one of the six states in the North West, had been under attacks by bandits and to curb the activities of these criminals, the state government offered a peace deal to the bandits.
While we commend the Kaduna State Government’s efforts in trying to end these criminalities in the state, we do not think that negotiating with criminals is a sustainable solution to insecurity. It was not the first time the government was negotiating with bandits. The former governor of the State, Nasir El-Rufai, also negotiated with them without any positive result.
Negotiating with criminals has never been an effective solution to criminality. It only emboldens the criminals and places the government in a position of weakness.
Such compromise also erodes people’s confidence in the ability of the government to protect their lives and property.
If we must have a country, our politicians must completely overhaul the way they govern Nigerians. There is no magic by which a corrupt government can build and maintain effective and corruption-free armed forces, which are needed to deal decisively with criminals and all kinds of security threats.
No country, including Nigeria, can make any form of progress until the government rises up to its constitutional responsibility of providing security of life and property to the people.
By
Ademola Adeagbo
Head, News and Current Affairs Department,
Success 105.3FM, ibadan.
