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From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Defence Headquarters has warned communities in some states in the North to stop signing peace deals with bandits, kidnappers, terrorists and other criminal groups to provide security for their communities.
Director Defence Media Operations Major General Markus Kangye, who gave the warning however, said that the military is not aware of such agreement and would in no way support it as it is capable of defending the nation’s territorial integrity.
Kangye, gave the warning while responding to journalists’ questions on how some communities who have lost confidence in the security agencies, have resorted to negotiate with armed groups who have imposed huge amounts of monies as levies on them.
It was gathered that community leaders in Jibia, Batsari and Safana local government areas of Katsina State had early in March, signed a peace agreement with some known bandit kingpins terrorising their villages.
Gen. Kangye, while dismissing the notion that military supports such deals, said
“To the best of our knowledge, we have never had any peace deal with bandits as mentioned. Why do communities want to do that? I don’t think they want to seek approval from the military to do so. And the military, I don’t think they are aware of that,”.
