Former Head of state General Abdulsalami Abubakar has said dialogue with bandits and insurgents is certainly not the best but a necessity to avoid unnecessary casualty that could arise from the use of force.
Abdulsalami stated this in Minna Tuesday while answering questions from journalists after hosting the five governors who paid him a courtesy visit.
The governors, under the auspices of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), were led by the body’s chairman and governor of Ekiti state, Kayode Fayemi.
When asked his view on dialogue as proposed by the governors, he said: “Well, certainly it is not the best, but again it is said that it is you who is wearing the shoes that knows where it’s paining you. Take for example what has happened in Niger state, it is getting to one week now that these children, our grandchildren have been abducted by heartless men.
“Now, even if you know where they are, it would be foolhardy to say that you want to storm where they are to fight and bring them back. In the process, there would be casualty on the part of the children. So, sometimes it is better to see the best way you can talk to these heartless people to see how you can get these victims out. But that is not the best way; the best way is to first make sure that it does not happen.”
The former military head of state also said he had advised the federal government to ensure there were enough military personnel in the country, saying at the moment, the armed forces were overstretched in the fight against insurgents and bandits.
“I met with all the state governments and the federal government. During my discussion with state governments, I have told them to take their responsibility seriously and stop all forms of blaming each other. I also told the federal government to indeed make sure we have enough armed forces. They are overstretched with them fighting in the North-east, and in the North-central and certainly they overstretched. This is the same with the police who are supposed to take charge of the civil population. They are also overstretched and they all need support,” Abdulsalami said.
‘Govs ready but…’
And there are indications that the 36 state governors may have agreed to dialogue as a way out of the myriad of security challenges facing the nation.
This indication was given Tuesday when a delegation of the NGF visited Niger state Governor Abubakar Sani-Bello on a solidarity visit over the spate of abductions recently in the state.
Led by Governor Fayemi, the delegation commended Sani-Bello’s handling of the situation.
While the NGF chair proposed dialogue as a way out, Governor Sani-Bello said such could only be possible if the bandits were genuinely ready to lay down their arms.
The state was under bandits’ attack in the last one week, following which some 53 passengers onboard Niger State Transport Authority (NSTA), and students as well as staffers of Government Science College Kagara in Rafi local government area of the state, and some of their family members, were kidnapped at different times.
While the passengers were lucky to have regained their freedom Sunday, the students were still being held captive as at the time of this report, even as negotiation was in top gear.
NGF chair speaks
Speaking during the visit, Governor Fayemi said: “At the level of the governors’ forum, we met last week and we came out with some specific ideas we have shared with the federal authority. But for us, our visit is in commiseration, solidarity and in identifying with you, the government, and the good people of Niger state.
“We want to reassure you that even this difficult time shall pass but we must put our heads together, put all our efforts together, demonstrate resilience, reassure our people not to give up hope because ultimately we can only defeat terrorism collectively, not in isolation.
“What we are witnessing is terrorism; there is no other name for it. We may call it banditry, kidnapping, these are the remnants of the actors in the North-east that have found themselves in other parts of the country. Whether they are known as ISWAP, Shekau faction, they are remnants of what we are still dealing with in that part of Nigeria.
“That is why we must not treat the North-east in isolation of this problem. We are all victims as long as any section of our country is ravaged by this problem.
“On behalf of all your brother governors, I want to assure our people in Niger State that we are all for Niger State. We shall not rest until we resolve the challenges we have here as we have in other states.”
Fayemi also said: “We need to come together as a united front instead of blame games in the area of security even if it means engaging in dialogue. We have been using security agencies; however, all parts of the country appeared to be caught up in one security problem or the other. We cannot continue to play the ostrich; we want a full and final solution.”
Fayemi said as governors, “what the people want is for us to resolve the problems of insecurity so that they could sleep with their eyes closed.”
While expressing satisfaction with efforts to arrest the situation, he said, “from the briefing we have received from our colleague in Niger, we are sure that all measures taken would yield results.
“I am aware that the Northern Governors Forum is going to meet over it. The agenda is to destabilise the federal government of Nigeria but we will fight with all our energy to keep the nation united and peaceful.”
Sani-Bello responds
In his response, Governor Sani-Bello said its high time the federal government worked with the states to find a lasting solution to the growing menace of insecurity.
He said: “Everyone you see here has been on his/her toes praying for the safe return of the kidnap victims. Niger State has always been a peaceful state. Agreed from time to time we’ve had incidences of kidnapping but not to this magnitude.
“I think the time has come for us to come together and impose on the federal authority to do the needful. I think there is a need for the federal authority to key in and work with state governments so that we are able to provide adequate intelligence and find a final solution to this menace.”
He said the abduction of the students shook the state to its very foundation, adding “we should not subject our children who have chosen to go to school, to undergo this experience. It is our responsibility to protect them.”
Sani-Bello said he agreed with the governors on the need to explore other options, especially dialogue, in resolving current security challenges.
“However, I agreed with you on the need to dialogue, we will use dialogue but with only those who agreed to drop their weapons and embrace peace. For those bandits that kept on to their guns, we will have nothing to do with them, the needful must be done,” said Sani-Bello.
Gumi’s view
However, renowned cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, described the bandits as militants fighting for ethnic survival.
Featuring Monday on Politics Today, a Channels Television’s current affairs programme, said bandits are Nigerians striving to defend themselves.
Gumi, who has been involved in series of negotiation with bandits, believed dialogue and teaching bandits Islam remain the best solution to the menace.
On his experience with the gunmen, the Islamic teacher said: “It’s a complex issue. It’s an ethnic war and the solution is dialogue and teaching them Islam. To them, they’re talking about an ethnic existence.
“They (bandits) are Nigerians. I hate to call them bandits. They are militants fighting for ethnic survival. They want to defend themselves. If there is peace, you will not see such things as banditry, kidnapping, among others.
“If you are talking about victims, they have more victims on their side than others. To them, they are fighting a war of existence.
“If you have seen them (herdsmen), you will discover they have nothing like civilisation other than the guns they are carrying. We are trying to talk to them to drop their guns. There are peace processes ongoing, and they are ready to put down their arms. They are not killing people; they are just engaged in ethnic revenge.
“The Fulani herdsmen are victims of military excesses. The armed herdsmen are kidnapping to make money.”
