Some members of the House of Representatives have criticised the Federal Government for entering into negotiations with bandits following the abduction of 24 students from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State.
Reps’ criticism came from a cross-party coalition known as “House to the Rescue,” which accused the government of betraying public trust after presidential aide Bayo Onanuga disclosed that talks had been held with the kidnappers.
The coalition’s statement was signed by Muhammed Soba (North West), Zakari Mohammed (North Central), Olasupo Abiodun (South West), Sadiq Ibrahim (North East), Uko Nkole (South East), and Bassey Ewa (South South).
Their criticism followed a tense special plenary on Tuesday, where lawmakers expressed frustration over the rising tide of kidnappings across the country and the fear that grips communities as criminal groups continue to strike without restraint.
In the joint statement endorsed by representatives from all six geopolitical zones, the coalition said, “The House to the Rescue unequivocally condemns the Federal Government’s ongoing negotiations with bandits and criminal networks responsible for the wave of kidnappings tearing through Nigeria.
“At a time when citizens are crying out for protection, the government has chosen to sit at the same table with those who abduct children, violate women, terrorise communities, and undermine the authority of the Nigerian state.”
The lawmakers went further, taking aim at President Bola Tinubu’s handling of the worsening security situation. “This is not leadership. This is an abdication of responsibility,” they said.
They pointed to recent abductions in Kano, Kwara, Kebbi and several other states, warning that Nigerians were being left exposed while the government responded with “silence, excuses, and back-door concessions to violent groups.”
According to the group, “No functioning nation rewards criminality with dialogue. Negotiation with bandits has never worked anywhere.”
To drive home their point, the lawmakers highlighted examples from other countries where talks with violent non-state actors had gone badly. In Colombia, they argued, “Talks with the Revolutionary Armed Forces emboldened kidnappers, increased ransom operations, and strengthened the group militarily.”
They added that in Mexico, “back-channel contacts with cartels worsened kidnapping rates, empowered gangs, and created a security collapse from which Mexico still suffers.”
They also referenced Afghanistan, saying concessions to the Taliban “including prisoner swaps, allowed the group to regroup and eventually overthrow the entire government.”
Further examples included Somalia, where “Engagement with warlords only deepened the conflict and gave militias space to expand,” and Mali, where “deals with jihadist/bandit groups allowed them to spread violence into neighbouring countries.”
The coalition warned that Nigeria was heading down the same path if it continued to engage armed groups as negotiating partners. They said such talks legitimised criminality, encouraged further kidnappings, and weakened public confidence in the country’s security institutions.
They added that this approach had created “a dangerous business model where abductors take citizens and wait for government representatives to arrive with negotiations instead of force.”
The lawmakers called on the Federal Government to immediately stop all talks with bandits and instead deploy intelligence-led operations to rescue victims. They also demanded a clear, accountable national security strategy and full National Assembly oversight of any official involved in unauthorised negotiations with criminal groups.
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