Former military president, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, has criticised the Federal Government for allegedly negotiating with bandits and terrorists in the country.
In a post on his official X account on Thursday, @General_Ibbro Babangida said he would go band for band with the bandits and terrorists as well as their negotiators and sympathisers if he was the president of the country.
He also told the government not to spare anyone in the fight against insecurity, including their sympathisers and and negotiators.
“No bandits, no terrorists and no terrorist negotiators or terrorist sympathisers should be spared for disrupting the peace of Nigerians,” he stated.
“If I was the President that would be my message to the Nigerian military and state governors, we can go band for band, we are not negotiating.”
He added: “If I was the President that would be my message to the Nigerian military and state governors.”
“We can go band for band, we are not negotiating!”
Babangida’s condemnation followed a hint by the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President, Bayo Onanuga, that the Federal Government negotiated with bandits and terrorists for the release of the kidnapped Kwara State worshippers and Kebbi State schoolgirls.
Onanuga dismissed speculation that a ransom was paid for the release, stressing that the government simply negotiated with the bandits for the release of the hostages. He argued that the Federal Government opted for negotiation rather than a direct military confrontation, as an assault on the kidnappers’ camp could lead to civilian casualties.
