A former Zamfara Governor, Sani Yerima said President Bola
Tinubu may dialogue with bandits in a bid to restore lasting peace and security
to the country.
Yerima stated this while speaking after his visit to
President Tinubu at the State House on Monday.
He said, “A lot of bandits have been arrested and killed,
and I’m not saying government should just continue to just negotiate
indefinitely. No, I said invite them.
“There are people, who repent in all religions – Islam, Christian, Judaism, with the fact that God, who created us once you repent after committing offences, after committing sins he forgives you, so there’s no way you can say Nigerians should not be forgiven if they repent.
“If they repent, they should be rehabilitated and
reintegrated into the society and then measures should be taken to avoid
reoccurrence of this menace.
“But, if they don’t the government has enough power, enough
resources, the military, the security have enough capacity. I have confidence
in the Nigerian security that they have enough capacity with the political will
and support of the government to handle this matter. So, dialogue is part of
governance,” he said.
Recall that Yerima earlier asked Tinubu to dialogue with
bandits, just as the late former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua dialogued with
Niger Delta militants.
Yerima, in an interview with BBC Hausa on Saturday, had
said, “I’m advising the government to, first of all, find time to sit with these
bandits, just like they sat with Niger Delta militants in the past. Because a
majority of them are Nigerians, even though there are some foreigners among
them.
“But Nigerians among them can be convinced, as the Niger
Delta militants were convinced and empowered to stop.
“if that fails, then the government can use force on them
wherever they are,” he said.
Yerima’s advocacy for dialogue with bandits comes on the
heels of an increasing spate of indiscriminate killings and kidnapped citizens
for ransom across the country.
Meanwhile, the former Zamfara governor said though some
bandits terrorising Nigeria are foreigners.
Recall that, Yerima
introduced sharia law in Zamfara state 23 years ago.
Under Yerima’s administration in 2000, Bello Buba Jangebe
was amputated for stealing a cow following a Zamfara Sharia Court ruling.
Similarly, in 2001, Lawali Isa, who stole a bicycle, had his
wrist cut.
I guess that Mr Yerima knows too much about the bandits, and secondly, you don't negotiate with criminals that kill without any provocation or whatsoever.
ReplyDeleteNever negotiate with terrorists.
Mr yetima is fully involved in this, and that's why he's trying to defend them, because he knows that their time is coming to an end. What a country
Even comparing them with Niger delta militants, speaks volume.. Imagine
ReplyDeleteNiger Delta was fighting a genuine course and had need to be listened to, what is the terrorist fighting for? Why should they be negotiated and rehabilitated?
ReplyDelete