Negotiating with bandits is indirect terror financing – Adeyanju

 

 

Rights activist and lawyer, Barrister Deji Adeyanju, has said negotiating with bandits amounts to indirect financing of terrorism and poses a grave danger to national security.

Speaking on Monday, he warned that terrorists should be jailed rather than forgiven or rewarded by the government.

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Adeyanju said the continued negotiation, payment and appeasement of armed groups by the authorities was deeply troubling and counterproductive, insisting that criminal violence cannot be resolved through dialogue or concessions.

He argued that armed groups should be treated strictly as criminals and dealt with through the justice system, rather than being legitimised through official engagements and incentives.

“The continued negotiation, payment, forgiveness, and appeasement of bandits and terrorists by the government amounts to indirect financing of terrorism. Terrorists do not repent, and banditry is not a misunderstanding that can be settled across negotiation tables. These are criminals who should be arrested, prosecuted, and jailed, not hosted in Government Houses or rewarded with concessions.” Adeyanju said

The activist warned that forgiving terrorists sends a wrong signal and encourages more violence, stressing that no serious state embraces such an approach without severe consequences.

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“The idea of forgiving terrorists is alien to any serious state; it sets a dangerous precedent and sends the message that taking up arms, killing citizens, and destabilizing the country pays. It encourages more criminality, as others will be emboldened to bear arms knowing the government will eventually negotiate, compensate, and beg them.” He said.

Drawing a comparison, Adeyanju said terrorists responsible for mass killings are being treated leniently despite committing worse crimes than some individuals facing prolonged prosecution, adding that this undermines justice and weakens national security.

“These terrorists have committed far worse crimes than Nnamdi Kanu for example, who, whatever the allegations of incitement, did not physically kill anyone. Yet thousands of Nigerians have been slaughtered by terrorists who are now being embraced by our government. This approach undermines the idea of justice and it threatens the foundation of national security in the long run.” He said