‘Negotiation with bandits will jeopardise security agencies’ efforts’

Many serving security personnel frowned at the alleged negotiations with bandits by some Federal Government agencies, stating that such a move would jeopardize security agencies’ efforts.

Some of them who spoke on the condition of anonymity said negotiating with bandits was an outright vote of no confidence on all security agencies in Nigeria.

One of them said, “I don’t want to believe that such a move is being perpetrated by federal government officials since it has debunked that. To put the record straight, there had been several attacks on these bandits by security agents in the course of which some of them lost their lives in the process”.

Some of the retired senior military and police officers contacted declined to speak, saying there was no need to react since the Federal Government had described the Zamfara state governor’s claim as false.

But security expert and Director General of the International Institute of Professional Security (IIPS), Dr. Tony Ofoyetan said: “I understand that the Federal Government has also refuted that allegation. Before this government, there had been negotiations between the government and Boko Haram. The issue is not about negotiation or no negotiation but what will be the end result of such adventure? If you negotiate with the terrorists, psychologically, you are empowering them, you are giving them the impression that you are helpless and that you are coming cap in hand begging.

“For me, when it comes to terrorism, before negotiations, there must be a superior party that determines the case and the way the negotiations will go on the negotiation table. So I think that before the issue of negotiation, the government should be able to establish its superiority the same way they were able to establish their superiority over the Niger Delta militants, to the extent that when it was time for amnesty they jumped at it because they were eager to have that freedom.

“For now, the government has not been able to establish its authority over terrorism and the likes. That is not to say that the government has not done much, in actual fact, the government is doing a lot by putting all the variables on table, that is, the kinetic and the non-kinetic approach.

“But going to negotiate it with the terrorists is a no, no. Has the government been able to identify the sponsors of these terrorists, their sources of weaponry, supply and funding? Has it been able to decisively deal with those forces, to the extent that if they did not go by its terms, it can use the stick?

“If the government starts negotiation now, it means that the terrorists will determine the terms and conditions of the negotiation, not the government. And I can bet you that you don’t want that because what the terrorists will do is to demand money, free passage and free access from the government. They will also demand a situation where the government will be able to fortify their arms and ammunition. The day government reneges on the promise, they will come with full force because they would have had more arms, more money and more access. That is the implication of not standing your ground and stamping your superiority and authority over them, before negotiation”, he stated.