Two Southwest socio-political and cultural groups, Afenifere and Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum (YRLF), have urged the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, come down heavily on all terrorists, kidnappers and their sponsors.
The groups said since the previous administrations never negotiated with terrorists and or criminals, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has no business heeding the calls from any quarters to dialogue with criminals.
The groups also admonished all the 36 state governors not to dialogue or entertain any form of negotiations with terrorists and kidnappers.
They also dismissed the suggestion made by Sheikh Abubakar Gumi and any group that the government of President Tinubu should open negotiations with terrorists and Boko Haram insurgents, saying, “our response to Sheikh Gumi is emphatic ‘no’ to such ideas.”
Spokesman of Afenifere, Jare Ajayi, said those impressing it on Tinubu to embark on a dialogue with criminals should save Nigeria by divulging whatever information at their disposal that may help the security agents and the country to solve the menace of kidnapping and terrorism.
He also urged the government to look inward among the security agents for saboteurs and fifth columnists.
Speaking with The Guardian, yesterday, leader of the YRLF, Akin Malaolu, said: “As leaders in the country, Yoruba Ronu would rather advise the government to consider these important questions: Firstly, who knew exactly the origins of the terrorists and if they are Nigerians. Sheikh Abubakar Gumi, who visited their enclaves in Zamfara and interacted with them, had not been forthcoming about their origin or identities.
“Secondly, are these cruel and dangerous men Fulani herders alone or mercenaries who invaded our lands without fear of Nigeria’s military might? These two important questions are germane to settling what patterns of war or recovery President Tinubu should entertain as an authority in charge of government.
“Our positions in tackling this menace before and to the present have not changed. The former Muhammadu Buhari administration gave us a clue on the origin of the terrorists and also confirmed that they were mixtures of late President Muammar Gaddafi’s military remnants, who after his fall took many strong weapons into the Sahel region of Africa. In addition to this is the existence of Tuaregs raiders from Niger Republic and with our own Fulani terrorists in the country.
“Our conclusions are that the President Tinubu government should not dialogue, not enter into negotiations with unknown elements disturbing the peace of the country, but should rather reflect, observe and take a reasonable course of action. On this we stand.”
