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Don’t negotiate with bandits, northern leaders warn Tinubu

Published

3 years ago

July 8, 2023

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Don’t negotiate with bandits, northern leaders warn Tinubu

Northern leaders have rejected a call by former governor of Zamfara State, Malam Yerima Sani, asking President Bola Tinubu to negotiate with terrorists and bandits in the country and grant them amnesty as it was done for Niger Delta militants by the late Umaru Yar’Adua’s administration.

In their separate views, they argued that such negotiations would continue to fail because the bandits do not have a central command of leadership and they never kept the agreements reached with some of them in the past by some states and communities in the North.

President General of Mzough U Tiv, MUT, worldwide and Chairman of the three sociocultural/ethnic groups in Benue State, Chief Iorbee Ihagh, said, “There is no way President Bola Tinubu’s government will negotiate with bandits and terrorists.

“These were people who were brought into this country from parts of West Africa to prosecute elections for some persons in 2015.

“After they won their elections they failed to keep to the agreement they entered with the criminals and that is why they took to banditry and terrorism and tormenting the North.

“Those who brought them into the country know themselves. They should be made to go and clean up the mess they created for Nigerians.

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“I am happy that President Tinubu has brought in people who can tackle insecurity in the country unlike what we had in the last government when nepotims beclouded them.

“They had wanted to turn Nigeria into a Fulani state but God came to our rescue as a people. So, there will be no bargaining, President Tinubu should never accept that.

“He has started well and we are praising him, but if he does that, nobody will be behind him again.

“Government cannot go and beg criminals; they should come and surrender. Moreso, armed herdsmen should be made to go back to their respective places so that the millions of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, scattered in our state and other parts can go back to their ancestral homes.”

On his part the Vice Chairman of APC Benue South District, Bishop Pinot Ogbaji, said, “When I heard of the proposal of the former governor of Zamfara State advising President Tinubu to negotiate with terrorists and bandits, I was shocked. I know that in everything there is negotiation and dialogue but negotiation means that we encourage that attitude and character.

“Then when you negotiate with a deadly group in the North, another group would probably surface in another part of the country seeking negotiation.

“Let me ask: what manner and kind of negotiation is he talking about? Is it to grant them amnesty or what? Or true repentance? We don’t even know the extent to which the negotiation will go; we do not know their demands.

“For me, negotiation is not an issue at all. Of course, there could be amnesty which is not negotiation. It entails that somebody volunteers to repent, then he is brought back to the the society of normal beings and re-orientated”.

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Also the National President of the Middle Belt Forum, Dr. Bitrus Pogu said, “Unless he is one of them and he is trying to protect them, otherwise who negotiates with terrorists. The problem we’ve had is a northern problem. People from the North took this Boko Haram and banditry as their own game.

“We have somebody there, though his election is till in dispute, it appears that this person will not tolerate a situation where people will be serving some parochial interests rather than the Nigerian nation. And that is what I believe Tinubu is trying to achieve.

“To negotiate with terrorists means to endorse criminality and encourage non state actors to have the courage to come up and start something again in the future.

“The way forward is to crush them, to take them out of existence.

“So, deal with them in such a way that henceforth somebody who will want to rise for whatever reason will think twice before he does something.

“It should even go beyond that, those who are involved in propagating this thing should be fished out and dealt with decisively because Nigerians have suffered enough and any call by such characters should be questioned and queried.

“And if you remember it is the same Yerima who started the Sharia thing under the then President Obasanjo. To me he is a suspect; any suggestion from him should not be taken seriously.”

Chairman, Birnin-Gwari Emirate Progressives Union (BEPU) Ishaq Usman Kasai, in his view explained that Yerima’s call reflected the lack of understanding of the structural formation and divergent goals of the armed bandits in their forests who have been causing mass destruction, deaths, and destabilization in the country.

He said, “To successfully bring an end to armed banditry business in Nigeria, all bandits’ camps in our various forests must be dislodged as anything short of this will only be a window-dressing that will not bring lasting solution.

“Engaging in negotiations with armed bandits will never yield significant positive outcomes because past experiences have demonstrated that criminal elements such as armed bandits, often exploit negotiations as a means to buy time, regroup, and strengthen their positions.

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“They view negotiations as a sign of weakness of the government, which emboldens them to continue their violent activities. We recall that many of such negotiations were carried out with bandits by many state and local governments and individual communities in the Northwest region of the country.

“Past experiences from areas where this type of negotiation was carried out show that the bandits only exploited the opportunity to receive more money, easily trafficked illicit drugs, acquired more arms and raped women including teenagers and married ones.

“In fact, all the communities and governments that entered such negotiations with the bandits later regretted it.

“Negotiating with the bandits will also send a dangerous message to Nigerians particularly rural dwellers signalling government’s incapacity, weakness and official acknowledgement of parallel governments within the Nigerian state.”

News

Iran Rules Out Participation in 2026 FIFA World Cup

Published

12 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Trends Admin

Iran Rules Out Participation in 2026 FIFA World Cup

Tehran, March 11, 2026 – Iran has officially announced that it will not participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, citing security concerns and strained relations with the United States.

The announcement came from Ahmad Donyamali, Iran’s Sports Minister, who said the current circumstances make it impossible for the national team to compete. “Given that this corrupt government has murdered our leader, there are no conditions under which we can participate in the World Cup,” Donyamali stated. “Two wars have been imposed on us in the past eight or nine months, and several thousand of our citizens have been killed. Therefore, we have no chance of participating in this way.”

Iran had qualified for the tournament, which is scheduled to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with group stage matches set in U.S. cities such as Los Angeles and Seattle. The Iranian team was drawn into Group G, alongside Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said Iran would have been welcomed to compete, and U.S. authorities confirmed the team would have been allowed entry. However, Iran’s leadership rejected participation, citing ongoing conflict and security concerns.

The withdrawal leaves FIFA with the task of determining how to fill Iran’s spot in the tournament and adjusting the group stage schedule accordingly. Officials are expected to make an announcement in the coming days.

This marks the first time Iran has voluntarily withdrawn from a World Cup after qualifying, highlighting the growing tensions in the region amid recent military and political escalations.

Iran Rules Out Participation in 2026 FIFA World Cup

News

FG Begins Evacuation of Nigerians from Iran, Escorts Citizens to Armenian Border

Published

15 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Trends Admin

FG Begins Evacuation of Nigerians from Iran, Escorts Citizens to Armenian Border

Some Nigerians have been escorted out of Iran by officials of the Federal Government through the Nigerian Embassy in Tehran as part of efforts to ensure their safety amid rising tensions in the Middle East.

This was confirmed by the Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri‑Erewa, who disclosed that Nigerian embassy officials are currently coordinating the movement of citizens willing to leave the country.

Dabiri-Erewa explained that the evacuees are being escorted from various locations in Iran to the border with Armenia, where they will await further arrangements for their return to Nigeria.

According to her, the evacuation became necessary following the escalating security situation in the region, which has raised concerns about the safety of foreign nationals, including Nigerians residing in Iran.

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She noted that officials of the Nigerian Embassy are working round the clock to ensure that Nigerians who wish to leave the country are safely moved out of the conflict-prone areas.

The NiDCOM boss also assured that the Federal Government is closely monitoring the situation and is collaborating with relevant authorities to facilitate the safe evacuation and eventual return of the affected citizens.

Dabiri-Erewa further stated that no Nigerian casualty had been reported so far, adding that the government remains committed to protecting the welfare and safety of its citizens abroad.

The evacuation effort forms part of contingency measures being implemented by the Federal Government as tensions continue to rise in the Middle East, prompting several countries to make arrangements for the evacuation of their nationals from high-risk areas.

Meanwhile, Nigerian authorities have urged citizens in the affected region to remain in contact with the Nigerian Embassy and follow official directives as the evacuation process continues.

FG Begins Evacuation of Nigerians from Iran, Escorts Citizens to Armenian Border

News

Tinubu Orders Nationwide CNG Initiative to Curb Transport Expenses

Published

1 day ago

March 11, 2026

Trends Admin

Tinubu Orders Nationwide CNG Initiative to Curb Transport Expenses

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (PiCNG) to immediately deploy 100,000 vehicle conversion kits nationwide, a bold move aimed at easing the burden of rising global fuel prices and promoting compressed natural gas (CNG) as a cheaper, cleaner alternative to petrol.

The directive was issued during a closed-door meeting between the president and PiCNG Executive Chairman Ismaeel Ahmed at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Ahmed disclosed that the president requested updates on the initiative’s progress, particularly regarding measures to cushion Nigerians from the impact of fuel price volatility driven by tensions in the Middle East.

“The president is concerned about the effect of global petroleum price spikes on Nigerians. He has given a direct mandate to immediately deploy about 100,000 CNG conversion kits,” Ahmed said. The kits will allow vehicle owners, including cars and tricycles, to convert petrol engines to run on compressed natural gas, offering an affordable and environmentally friendly alternative.

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The rollout is expected to begin within the next two to three weeks, with conversion centres nationwide becoming active as large-scale vehicle conversions commence. Ahmed noted that the initiative is also accelerating infrastructure development to support CNG and electric mobility, including the expansion of refuelling and charging stations across key transport corridors.

Currently, around 77 CNG refuelling stations are at various stages of development across Nigeria. Kano already operates two liquefied CNG stations, with additional daughter stations under construction. The infrastructure expansion covers major routes from Lokoja to Abuja, Kaduna, Zaria, Kano, and Maiduguri, ensuring broad access to alternative fuel.

The initiative also encourages the local assembly of CNG and electric vehicles through partnerships with domestic and international manufacturers. Collaboration with the Rural Electrification Agency is underway to deploy solar-powered charging stations in off-grid areas, supporting a clean energy transition.

President Tinubu emphasized that the PiCNG programme should deliver quick results, reducing transportation costs, improving mobility for Nigerians, and mitigating the impact of global fuel shocks on the economy.