Atiku slams FG’s peace deals with bandits, says they favour criminals

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has criticised government negotiations with bandits, arguing that such peace deals often benefit the criminals more than their victims.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, Atiku said bandits frequently renege on the terms of peace agreements reached with the government. According to him, these repeated breaches undermine public confidence and weaken efforts to restore security.

Atiku further warned that genuine deterrence is difficult to achieve when state authorities appear to be pleading with armed groups in the name of peace deals. He argued that such approaches embolden criminals and send the wrong message to law-abiding citizens.

While noting that he is not opposed to negotiations to end the violence, the former vice-president kicked against a situation in which the bandits dictate the terms of peace deals.

“Those peace deals always favour the bandits more than their victims, and they have always fooled the government’s negotiators,” he said.

Abubakar said the government should not wait until the bandits launch attacks before responding.

“Nigerians are no longer impressed by the powerful language of condemnation by the government. They’re more interested in results than rhetoric,” he said.

“Experience has shown that if rhetoric were enough to deter the bandits, the menace would have ended a long time ago.”

Some state governments, including Katsina, have been negotiating with bandits to stop attacks and abductions of residents.

The Katsina government is reportedly facilitating the release of 70 suspected bandits in custody, a move it described as essential to consolidating community-driven peace agreements with “repentant bandits” in several LGAs.

But the African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain said the President Bola Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration must be held accountable for its campaign promises to end insecurity in the country.

“Nigerians cannot be comforted by excuses. As a former opposition party, the APC held the then government in power to the harshest and merciless standards, and therefore, the Tinubu administration must be held to the same standards,” Abubakar said.

He also condemned the abduction of over 100 residents in Kajuru LGA of Kaduna state on Sunday, noting that bandits are audaciously attacking communities unchallenged.

Abubakar said it is concerning that while some states are claiming victory in their peace deals with bandits, the criminals are attacking communities and taking residents hostage.

“It is colossally embarrassing to see non-state actors holding the country hostage and attacking people and taking hostages again and again unchallenged,” Abubakar added.