Following a purported video of the bandits’ kingpin, Bello Turji, seeking reconciliation with the Federal Government, a group, Northern Elders, has cautioned President Bola Tinubu to ignore his antics.
Alhaji Mustafa Dutsima, the Northwest Chairman of the Arewa Elders Progressive Group, in a statement issued in Kaduna on Thursday, cautioned against any attempt to reconcile with those associated with banditry.
According to him, the morale of the people is now high, and they have become confident and happy with military operations in the different theatres.
He said that Bello Turji was only pretending to be ready for reconciliation, considering the number of lives he and his gang had taken in the past few years of banditry in the North-West of Nigeria.
“We, the North Elders, are compelled to address a pressing issue that threatens the security and stability of our nation.
“Recent reports suggest that President Tinubu is considering reconciling with notorious bandit, Turji, and his cohorts.
“We strongly advise against this move, as it will set a dangerous precedent and undermine the government’s efforts to combat banditry,” Dutsinma said.
He emphasised that reconciling with those who had perpetrated heinous crimes against innocent citizens would be a betrayal of public trust.
While commending the military operations going on so far in some villages of Shinkafi and Jibia, especially air and ground attacks, Dutsinma urged the military to sustain the offensives for effective results.
He that reconciling with the bandits would be a slap in the face of victims and their families, who have suffered unimaginable trauma and loss while demanding that justice be served and those responsible for the atrocities be held accountable.
The Chairman said the relocation of the Minister of State for Defense, Bello Matawalle, Chief of Defence Staff, other service chiefs and senior military personnel to the troubled areas in the north reflected the commitment of the federal government towards tackling banditry.
“So far, going by the continued military attacks forcing some of the bandits to retreat to other places, reconciliation without accountability will be a miscarriage of justice and a disservice to the nation.
“The primary responsibility of any government is to ensure the security and safety of its citizens. We urge President Tinubu to prioritise this responsibility and avoid any actions that may compromise it.
“Turji and his cohorts have committed unspeakable crimes, including murder, kidnapping, and destruction of property. They must face the full weight of the law, rather than being offered a reconciliatory olive branch,” Dutsinma said.
He called on President Tinubu to prioritise national security over any attempts at reconciliation, stressing that the safety of citizens and the integrity of the nation depended on it.
Dutsinma also called on the president to ensure that those responsible for banditry were held accountable for their actions, stating that anything less would be a failure of leadership and a betrayal of public trust.