Former National Assembly members warned the government against negotiating with criminals, citing global cases where talks with violent groups worsened insecurity. They urge a coordinated security crackdown.
Abuja, November 27, 2025
Former members of the National Assembly, under the platform House to The Rescue (HTR), have warned the Nigerian government against entering any form of negotiation with terrorists or bandits, insisting such efforts have repeatedly failed globally and would further endanger national security.
In a statement signed by the North West Zonal Coordinator, Mr. Muhammed Soba, and co-signed by other zonal leaders, the ex-lawmakers stressed that history shows negotiations with violent groups consistently backfire.
Soba warned that no country had ever succeeded by engaging criminals in dialogue. He cited international examples to underscore the dangers:
“Countries that tried this path paid dearly for it; Colombia talks with Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) emboldened kidnappers, increased ransom operations, and strengthened the group militarily.
“Mexico’s back-channel contacts with cartels worsened kidnapping rates, empowered gangs, and created a security collapse from which Mexico still suffers.
“Afghanistan’s concessions to the Taliban – including prisoner swaps – allowed the group to regroup and eventually overthrow the entire government.
“Somalia’s engagement with warlords only deepened the conflict and gave militias space to expand and Mali’s deals with jihadist/bandit groups allowed them to spread violence into neighbouring countries.
“The global evidence is indisputable, negotiating with violent non-state actors leads to more violence, not peace.
“Nigeria is not an exception, Nigeria will not be the first country where bandit negotiations succeeds.”
The group warned that any attempt to negotiate would amount to legitimising criminality and weakening the authority of the state. According to Soba, such actions embolden kidnappers and undermine the nation’s security framework.
He said: “Entering talks with bandits signals weakness, encouraging more kidnappings, giving criminals political relevance, undermining security agencies and destroying public trust in the state.”
Soba added that negotiations had already created a dangerous incentive structure where abductors seize citizens and wait for government intermediaries instead of facing force.
The former lawmakers urged all levels of government to immediately halt any covert or open contacts with bandits. They called for a coordinated, intelligence-led national security response to dismantle criminal networks.
“We urge government at all levels to stop all negotiations and covert dealings with bandits immediately and launch a coordinated, intelligence-driven national security operation to rescue victims and dismantle kidnapping networks.
“We call for a clear security strategy with timelines, responsibilities and accountability mechanisms and the activation of the full National Assembly oversight to investigate all government officials and state actors involved in unauthorised contacts or negotiations with criminals.
“The government’s first duty is the protection of lives and property; any administration that chooses compromise with criminals over the safety of its people has lost moral authority to lead.
“Nigerians deserve a country where criminals fear the state and not a country where the state fears criminals.”
The statement reinforced that the ex-lawmakers have warned repeatedly that dialogue with violent groups only deepens insecurity and undermines national stability.
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