The chairman of Talata Mafara Local Government Area in Zamfara State, Yahaya Abubakar Yari, has insister that criminals have no genuine demands that would justify peace talks.
He said negotiations with bandits should be held only with armed groups that take up arms over specific political or social grievances.
Speaking to BBC Hausa, Yari cited the example of former rebels in Colombia, saying they ended their armed struggle after the government addressed their concerns.
“They have no objective other than burning villages, killing innocent people, stealing property and rustling livestock. How do you negotiate with people like that?”
“Peace talks are meant for people who rebel because they have certain demands or are fighting for their rights. If those demands are addressed, they lay down their arms and peace returns.
“If Zamfara bandits had genuine demands that the government could meet to end the violence, then dialogue would make sense,” saying bandits are driven solely by criminal activities.
The council chairman also argued that the government’s current strategy has weakened the bandits. He said attacks that once forced entire communities to flee or led to the abduction of traditional rulers are no longer as common.
“The government has now allowed communities to defend themselves instead of negotiating with the bandits. That decision has solved half of the problem.
“What did the peace agreement achieve? Didn’t they kill a general and bring his body into town after the negotiations? Aren’t people still being kidnapped from villages?” he said.
Yari dismissed claims that negotiations with bandits had produced positive results in neighbouring Katsina State, arguing that insecurity continued despite the talks.
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