By The federal government has said that there is nothing wrong in dialoguing with bandits, a declaration that many Nigerians may consider shocking.
It would be recalled that suspected bandits, last Wednesday, had invaded the Government Science College (GSC) Kagara, Rafi LGA of Niger state, and whisked away 27 pupils and 15 staff members after killing a Senior Secondary School 3 pupil — who was later identified as Benjamin Habila.
Niger state governor, Abubakar Bello, had explained that his government was doing everything to rescue the victims, including facilitating negotiations with the bandits.
The government’s resolve to dialogue with criminals has since generated negative reactions from Nigerians.
In response, Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, while speaking during a a radio programme on Sunday, stated that nothing is wrong in dialoguing with bandits, as long as the ultimate objective is to make peace.
The minister said: “After war, people still sit to dialogue. So if some people have taken it upon themselves to visit these people so that they can embrace peace, I don’t think there is anything wrong with that.”
Mohammed also denied claims that the federal government paid ransom to secure the release of 300 children abducted in Kankara, Katsina state, and most recently the abductees of GSC Kagara.
