Federal Government says that there is nothing wrong in dialoguing with bandits.
Gunmen suspected to be bandits had last Wednesday stormed Government Science College Kagara, Rafi LGA of Niger state, kidnapping several students, members of staff, and some members of their families.
Niger State Governor, Abubakar Bello, had noted that his government is doing everything to rescue the victims, including facilitating negotiations with the bandits.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said on a radio programme on Sunday in response to Nigerians kicking against the strategy of dialoguing with criminals, that there was nothing wrong in the government exploring that approach.
He stressed that there was nothing wrong in dialoguing with bandits so long as the ultimate objective is to make peace.
“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,” he said.
The minister, however, reiterated that the Federal Government will not pay any ransom to secure the release of the abducted students and staff of GSC Kagara.
Mohammed also denied the payment of any ransom by the government to secure the release of over 300 children abducted in Kankara, Katsina state.
On the herders-farmers crisis in parts of the country, the minister said the government was already making moves to tackle it.
He said the steps included plans for intensive cattle-rearing to address the farmers/herders’ incessant conflict.