Nigeria’s Defence Minister, Gen. Christopher Musa (rtd), has cautioned state governments against negotiating with armed bandits, describing such deals as harmful to security efforts.
Speaking to BBC Hausa, Musa said bandits cannot be trusted to honour agreements. “There will be no peace deal with bandits. Negotiating with them only makes the fight against insurgency harder”, he stressed, adding that authorities have been warned to desist immediately.
He reaffirmed that the Federal Government does not pay ransom. “Anyone paying kidnappers does so personally, not on behalf of the government”, Musa said, noting that military pressure often forces captives’ release.
Musa highlighted intensified military operations, technology-driven tracking, and cooperation with neighbouring countries to prevent cross-border incursions. He also called for citizens to stop supplying insurgents with food, intelligence, or money, warning that such support is “blood money.”
On recent U.S. airstrikes in Sokoto State, Musa said the operation was highly successful, killing many bandits and forcing the rest to flee to Niger Republic. He stressed that defeating insurgents requires sustained military pressure, public cooperation, and zero negotiation with criminals.
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