Vanguard Editorial of Friday February 21, 2025
It is said that those who fail to learn the lesson of history are bound to repeat it. This captures the unfolding scenario in Kaduna State where its Governor, Uba Sani, has vowed to continue negotiating with terrorists and bandits for “peace”.
In adopting this policy, Sani has failed to learn from the experiences of his political mentor and immediate predecessor, Nasir el-Rufai, whose similar policy turned Kaduna State from a theatre of seasonal violence to one of the epicentres of terrorism and banditry in the North-West.
El-Rufai confessed in media reports that he approached some Fulani herdsmen leaders within and outside the country with large sums of money as incentives for them not to attack the state under his watch as he was their kinsman. Years later, terrorism and banditry choked the state, especially around the Birnin Gwari and Southern Kaduna areas so much that el-Rufai started calling for “carpet-bombing” of these criminals, adding: “My intention is to kill bandits, send them to God…”, according to a newspaper report dated December 21, 2021.
El-Rufai was not the only governor who “romanced” with bandits and came out with fingers burnt. Former Governors Aminu Masari (Katsina) and Bello Matawalle (Zamfara) had their states virtually run over by the same terrorist and bandit groups they had negotiated with and paid.
Governor Sani claims that his negotiations with bandits and terrorists in his Kaduna State have resulted in “peace”, as farmers are now able to farm and citizens live their normal lives unlike before. He affirmed: “If entering into a peace pact with terrorists will save even one life, then it is a decision worth taking”.
Experiences from all over the world, including ours in Nigeria, especially in the past 30 years of living with kidnappers, bandits and terrorists, have shown that such a decision is not worth taking. It amounts to arming the criminals and strengthening them. The same lives Sani claims to be saving will likely be at greater risk.
We seriously doubt Governor Sani’s claim that no exchange of money is involved in his negotiations with the criminals. Since when were criminals Father Christmas? Sani is merely paying for peace of the grave yard until the reinforced criminals decide to swoop again.
Every responsible government all over the world anchors strongly on refusal to negotiate with terrorists and criminals, even if sometimes they do so for tactical reasons. These are enemies of society against whom the law enforcement machinery of government must be mobilised to eradicate. It is irresponsible to negotiate with outlaws who have killed, destroyed communities and dehumanised law-abiding citizens. They must face the full weight of the law!
Governor Sani and others like him are playing with fire, and fire burns!
They must rethink.
