A Kano-based political analyst, Kabiru Ojo, has criticised calls by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, to engage terrorists and other violent groups in dialogue, insisting that lasting peace can only be achieved by defeating them militarily.
Ojo stated this in an exclusive interview with DAILY POST on Thursday while reacting to recent comments by Kwankwaso and Obi on tackling insecurity.
Kwankwaso had on Monday said communities affected by insecurity possess valuable intelligence about those behind violent attacks but are often afraid to share it because they lack confidence in security agencies.
“You see, all these things that are happening today, if you go to the localities where these insecurities are taking place, people know almost everything. They know where these criminals are and who they are. The problem is that many people no longer trust the security agencies because those who have provided information in the past did not get the protection they deserved,” he had said.
The former Kano governor added that an NDC administration would engage terrorists and other criminals in dialogue as part of efforts to end insecurity.
Earlier in June, Obi had also said he would negotiate with bandits and other violent groups if they were genuinely willing to embrace peace and become part of rebuilding the country.
The proposal has since generated mixed reactions.
Two days ago, former Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje rejected the idea of negotiating with bandits.
He warned that such a strategy would only enrich criminal groups and worsen insecurity across the country.
Reacting, Ojo described the proposal by the NDC leaders as a sign that they lack a clear strategy to address Nigeria’s security challenges.
“The idea of sitting down with terrorists and other criminals to discourage them from violence is just politics. It shows they do not have a concrete plan to solve the country’s security problems. Negotiating with people who have killed thousands of innocent Nigerians, destroyed communities and displaced families amounts to failure,” he said.
According to him, terrorists should not be rewarded with negotiations because they were not fighting for legitimate rights or responding to oppression.
“You don’t negotiate with terrorists. This is not an imaginary situation; it is a real crisis affecting the nation. The government should strengthen its security architecture, confront them and overpower them. The best way to achieve peace is to prepare for war,” he added.
Ojo drew a distinction between the Niger Delta militancy and insurgent groups such as Boko Haram, arguing that the circumstances were different.
He recalled that late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua negotiated with Niger Delta militants because they were demanding what they believed were their rights after years of neglect.
“Yar’Adua addressed their grievances, asked them to lay down their arms and they accepted. That situation cannot be compared to terrorism,” he said.
The analyst also praised Yar’Adua’s early response to Boko Haram, saying the late president ordered security agencies to confront the group immediately.
“When Boko Haram emerged, he gave security agencies marching orders to eliminate them. They pushed the group back and even forced its leader to flee before he was eventually killed. If Yar’Adua had remained in office longer, Boko Haram might not have grown into the problem Nigeria faces today,” he said.
According to Ojo, Boko Haram’s objective is to establish its own system of government, making negotiations unrealistic.
“They want to replace the Nigerian state with their own ideology. You cannot bargain with people who reject the authority of the state. They should be confronted until they are forced to abandon violence,” he said.
Ojo argued that terrorists would only seek peace after suffering military defeat.
“When you weaken them and destroy their operational strength, they will be the ones asking for peace. Negotiating with them instead only encourages criminality,” he stated.
The political analyst also compared the security proposals of the major presidential contenders, saying former Vice President Atiku Abubakar had presented more practical ideas.
According to him, Atiku had previously revealed how he advised former President Olusegun Obasanjo to summon the service chiefs when Boko Haram first emerged and give them a clear deadline to restore order.
“Atiku explained that security chiefs should be given timelines to deliver results. If they fail, they should be replaced and investigated. That is how leaders hold security agencies accountable,” he said.
Ojo also backed Atiku’s call for an increase in the number of security personnel.
He argued that Nigeria’s current security workforce is too small for a country with over 200 million people.
“He made a comparison with Egypt and pointed out that Nigeria does not have enough security personnel. That is a valid point. We need to recruit more personnel because the current number is not enough to secure a country of over 200 million people,” he said.
He added that many young Nigerians are discouraged from joining the armed forces because of the increasing number of security personnel being killed in the line of duty.
“If we strengthen our security architecture, eliminate the terrorists and improve the welfare of security personnel, peace will return. You don’t negotiate for peace with terrorists; you fight for peace,” he said.
Ojo concluded that the NDC’s proposal did not offer a convincing solution to Nigeria’s security crisis.
“In my view, the NDC candidates do not have a clear security plan. They are no different from the Tinubu-led APC government on this issue. Their comments are political statements meant to attract attention, but they do not amount to a practical strategy for ending insecurity in Nigeria,” he said.
