When the report reached the sacrificial goat that the chief butcher had died, the reporter was expecting it to celebrate. Instead, the goat sarcastically asked if they had buried the butcher with his knife. The moral of this story is getting rid of one villain does not eliminate the danger if the means of harm remained. The goat knows that other people can still use the butcher’s knife. Therefore, nothing will change.
So, there is no reason to celebrate a peace deal with bandits in Kaduna State or anywhere else in the country if we continue to live in fear. Peaceful societies are not built on fear.
It is a known fact that communities in Kaduna, like in many states in the country, have been under terror attacks by bandits. Local governments like Chikun, Kagarko, Giwa, Kajuru and Birnin Gwari have been terrorised consistently. And in the past 10 years, the result has remained the same—loss of human lives, permanent injuries, and destruction of communities, families, homes, farmlands and properties.
Hearing Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani announced on BBC Hausa that his government will negotiate with bandits felt like déjà vu. He claimed that dialogue with terrorists is a certain path to peace, citing the pleas of elders and local communities. He also pointed to the release of 200 hostages as proof of goodwill.
Merely mentioning negotiations brings back traumatic memories across the state. It sounded like the state had abandoned its primary duty to defend the people. Concerned sons of the soil are asking how this solution will be sustained without addressing its root causes. It is evident that poverty still stalks the majority of rural communities. Kidnapping rings remain well-armed. The government says no ransom was paid, but his precedence makes us doubt.
Cynics have quickly recalled the kidnapping of 287 Kuriga schoolchildren. Then, the Federal Government claimed no ransom was paid for the rescue. But the governor cast doubt on the statement, saying, “The argument over the payment of ransom is irrelevant.”
Let’s not forget that negotiating with terrorists in Kaduna did not start now, and look at where we are. For over 10 years, the result of negotiations with these terrorists has not been positive. We can equally agree that it is the past wrongdoings that brought us here.
In April 2014, el-Rufai went on record to criticise former President Goodluck Jonathan for not negotiating with Boko Haram following the 2014 abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls. He argued that Jonathan would have acted differently if his own daughter were among those kidnapped. He insisted that the government should have left no option unexplored in securing their release. His supporters saw this position as correct.
Similarly, in 2016, the same el-Rufai admitted tracking down Fulani herdsmen from neighbouring countries and paying them to halt reprisals in Southern Kaduna. He attributed their hostility to the 2011 post-election violence. He claimed some herdsmen demanded money for lost cattle, and they were obliged to pay in the hope of restoring peace. His supporters welcomed this opinion.
Then, in March 2021, the same el-Rufai retracted his position, saying [http://xn--aduna%20state%20governor%2C%20nasir%20el-rufai%20recently%20said%20he%20wont%20pay%20ransom%20to%20bandits%20even%20if%20they%20kidnap%20his%20son-7z48g./]he would not pay ransom to bandits even if they kidnapped his son. This happened following the kidnap of students at the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation. He said the government would keep exploring other ways to return the victims to their families but stressed that he was not going to pay any ransom. He even cautioned that anyone caught negotiating with bandits on his government’s behalf would be prosecuted. Again, his supporters followed without questioning. As he left the government, the insecurity in Kaduna was worse than he met it.
And here we are today, hearing Uba Sani repeating the same thing. Obviously, we cannot deny that they are politicians who are cut from the same garment. But the people are wiser. Sahih Hadith says, “A believer will not be bitten from the same hole twice by a snake,” meaning a wise person should not be deceived or harmed in the same way twice.
One of the security lessons we learnt over the past 10 years is that negotiating with terrorists means keeping it open-ended and paying them money. These talks go against state and national laws. These dialogues risk legitimising criminal gangs and equally empowering them, which is counterproductive. It has created hunger for terror. As it stands, many of them show off their loot on social media.
Besides, the majority of people believe these violent groups do not deserve special deals. Let’s not forget we are under a democratic system. People do not need a fortune teller to explain why new bandit groups are rising as negotiations and counter-negotiations become endless. Relying on negotiation will remove any remaining confidence in this administration. This will affect economic activities across the region.
If the present governor genuinely intends to help the people of Kaduna, he must stop repeating failed approaches and expecting a different result. The people expect the government to better manage insecurity. Many questions remain unanswered. Why is the state not prioritising stronger security infrastructure and prosecuting apprehended bandits? What happened to the equipment purchased by the past administration, such as forensic laboratories, drones, cameras, infrared sensors, phone tracking systems, and other security apparatus?
And if all these questions cannot be answered, why are they not considering how to prevent future attacks instead of negotiating?
A better approach is to provide security agencies with the basic tools they need to protect the people. It is unacceptable for the state to abandon rural communities and only return to them when calamity strikes. There should be an equal number of security services in terror-ravaged communities, as we have in places like Kaduna, Zaria, and surroundings.
Failure to heed reason will only keep us going around in circles. We cannot allow armed groups to hold us to ransom, no matter how sincere their promises. Appeasing them might encourage further lawlessness in the long run.