Decisive action against banditry, terrorism

The call by some ex-generals for a decisive action against bandits and terrorists in the country deserves serious attention by the government if the war against insecurity will yield the desired results. According to the retired senior military officers, negotiations alone cannot end banditry in the country. The generals, comprising friends and associates of the late Director, Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Abubakar Rabe (retd), also called for urgent reforms in Nigeria’s security architecture, following his death in the hands of bandits after being kidnapped in Katsina State. They also called for stronger political will at all levels of government to address the nation’s security crisis.

One of the officers, Brig.-Gen. Maharazu Tsiga, former Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), who was once a victim of kidnap, said terrorist and bandit groups were unlikely to voluntarily disband through negotiations, stressing that a more aggressive and coordinated strategy is required to dismantle their operations and restore peace in the country.

The call by the retired military officers is timely and must be heeded. The government should not wave it aside. It should also review the current training and reintegration of repentant terrorists to the society. There are fears that some of the repentant terrorists still go back to their old ways and join their colleagues in their murderous campaign.

In spite of the reintegration of repentant terrorists, gunmen recently attacked Kawel village, in Mushere District, in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, killing 22 people. Reports indicate that the attackers targeted the primary health care centre in the community. Within the same time, the terrorists attacked the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, on June 15, killing two soldiers and a police officer. The victims were on duty at the staff quarters of the institution when they were killed.

While the government is intensifying efforts to rescue the kidnapped schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State, as well as some students abducted from some schools in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, and abducted 42 students, the terrorists have not relented in their nefarious activities. Not less than seven students of the Federal Polytechnic, Kaura Namoda, Zamfara State, were recently abducted by terrorists. Between June 2025 and May 2026, about 270 people had reportedly been abducted in the state.

Under the present circumstance, the government should stop treating bandits and terrorists with kid gloves. It appears that the government’s non-kinetic measures can never placate the bandits and terrorists. In fact, the government’s reintegration programme cannot work. The government must reform the security architecture and recruit more soldiers for the ongoing war against the bandits and terrorists in some parts of the country. We must come up with more pragmatic strategies to subdue the criminals.

Since terrorists inflict violence on targeted groups, especially soft targets and instill fear on the populace, it is dangerous to negotiate with them. Terrorists also operate on the frameworks of entitlement and blackmail. They do not keep to their terms but rather ask for more concessions. They can hardly be appeased or bought off. That is the same character trait of bandits and kidnappers. Terrorists only understand the language of force and nothing more.

The Senate’s plan to prescribe death penalty for anyone convicted of kidnapping or other acts classified as terrorism should be pursued with vigour. The Senate bill, which intends to amend the 2022 Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act by designating kidnapping and related offences as acts of terrorism and prescribing the death penalty for those found guilty, including financiers and informants, should be given priority attention.

Though death penalty is no longer in vogue in many countries, there is need for stringent laws that will deter others from indulging in kidnapping and terrorism. Perhaps life imprisonment will go a long way in curbing kidnapping, banditry and terrorism in the country. Let the government bare its fangs against the terrorists and other criminals killing Nigerians. The troops must go after them and ruthlessly decimate them. The war against terrorism must be approached with all seriousness and sense of purpose and urgency.

President Bola Tinubu’s recent commitment to tackle insecurity and ensure the release of all persons held captive across the country is welcome. We agree with him that Nigeria will not bow to terrorists or bandits. However, the president’s words should be matched with commensurate action.