Ex-Minister Shittu Urges Tinubu’s Government to Negotiate with Bandits, Offer Promising Future

A former Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu, has called on the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to consider negotiating with bandits and offering them a promising future.

During an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today program on Tuesday, Shittu, who served under former president, Muhammadu Buhari, emphasized the importance of utilizing non-kinetic measures in addressing the issue of banditry in Nigeria.

He suggested that the government should retain many of the bandits, as they are intelligent and able-bodied individuals.

Shittu proposed that by providing these individuals with skills training and deradicalisation programs, the government could reduce the likelihood of them returning to a life of crime.

He argued that investing in such programs would be more cost-effective than continuously spending on arms and ammunition to combat the bandits.

The ex-minister’s comments come at a time when banditry and insecurity have been major issues in the North-West and North-East regions of Nigeria.

The number of unknown gunmen operating in these areas has been a cause for concern, prompting calls for alternative solutions to address the issue.

Shittu’s proposal to negotiate with bandits and offer them a promising future has sparked a conversation about the potential effectiveness of such an approach.

While some believe that it could lead to a more peaceful resolution, others remain skeptical about the feasibility of such negotiations and the potential risks involved.

As the new administration under President Bola Tinubu takes charge, it remains to be seen whether it will consider adopting non-kinetic measures in dealing with the issue of banditry and insecurity in Nigeria.