Retired Brigadier-General Maharazu Tsiga, a former Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), has declared that negotiations alone cannot end the banditry and terrorism plaguing Nigeria, insisting that a more decisive and confrontational approach is required to restore peace across the country.
The retired general made the remarks on Thursday in Kaduna during a press briefing organised by colleagues, friends and associates of the late retired Major-General Abubakar Rabe, who died in bandits' captivity after being abducted alongside his wife near the Matazu area of Katsina State.
Speaking on the nation's worsening security situation, Tsiga drew from his harrowing experience while in captivity to argue that terrorist and bandit groups are unlikely to voluntarily disband through dialogue. He described the criminal elements as neither invincible nor beyond defeat, emphasising that they can be effectively confronted through a coordinated and determined security strategy.
"These people are human beings like us; they fear death and they fear being confronted. If we remove that fear through decisive action and face them squarely, we will achieve more meaningful results than endless negotiations," Tsiga said.
The retired general questioned the effectiveness of engaging criminal groups without addressing the wider network that sustains their operations. He highlighted the role of informants and collaborators who allegedly provide support to criminal gangs, noting that some operate within local communities and even government institutions.
Recalling an incident during his captivity, Tsiga alleged that bandit leaders discussed the procurement of ammunition from individuals with access to government resources, suggesting that criminal networks benefit significantly from insider support.
"Who exactly are we negotiating with? You may negotiate with the bandits, but those supplying them and profiting from the conflict will not allow peace to prevail because they are more interested in financial gain than the lives and property of innocent citizens," he said.
Tsiga urged authorities to intensify efforts against banditry while calling on communities to actively support security agencies through intelligence sharing and cooperation. According to him, military operations alone cannot succeed without public backing.
"If the Army is doing its part and society fails to support those efforts, then we have all failed. Security is a collective responsibility," he said.
The former NYSC boss further encouraged communities to resist intimidation by criminal elements, arguing that bandits often succeed because of fear rather than superior numbers.
"When only a few armed men can force hundreds or even thousands of people to flee, it shows the need for collective action. Communities must work together with security agencies to deny criminals the space to operate," he said.
Tsiga stressed that lasting peace would require a united effort involving security agencies, government institutions and citizens working together to confront criminal networks and their sponsors.
The press briefing, which brought together several retired military officers and ambassadors, also served as a platform for the group to caution Nigerians against ethnicising the country's security challenges. Speaking on behalf of the retired officers, Brigadier-General Ismaila Abdullahi (rtd) said insecurity in Nigeria should not be framed through ethnic or regional lenses, warning that such narratives only deepen national divisions and weaken collective efforts to address the crisis.
The retired officers described General Abubakar's death as a painful reminder of Nigeria's worsening security situation and a reflection of a system struggling to guarantee safety for its citizens. They called for far-reaching reforms in Nigeria's security architecture, including stronger community defence mechanisms, improved border security and enhanced support for security personnel.
Abuja Network News
Tags
News