No Deals with Terrorists, Defence Minister Warns State Governments

N Nigeria’s Defence Minister, General Christopher Musa, has cautioned state governments against negotiating with terrorists and bandits, describing such engagements as counterproductive and harmful to national security.

Musa warned that armed groups often exploit peace deals to regroup, rearm and launch fresh attacks, stressing that past attempts at dialogue with terrorists have repeatedly failed.

“Terrorists do not respect peace agreements. What they do is take advantage of such initiatives to reorganise and come back stronger,” the Defence Minister said.

He criticised some state governments for entering into negotiations with bandits, noting that such actions undermine ongoing military operations and create breathing space for criminal groups to thrive.

“Any form of negotiation with these elements weakens our collective efforts and gives them room to continue their criminal activities,” Musa stated, urging states to discontinue such engagements.

The Defence Minister also reiterated the Federal Government’s stance on kidnapping, insisting that no ransom would be paid to kidnappers.

“We will not pay ransom. Our focus remains intelligence-driven operations to rescue victims and dismantle these criminal networks,” he said.

Musa further highlighted the need to strengthen border security, warning that Nigeria’s porous borders are being exploited by terrorists to move men and weapons across the country.

His comments come amid persistent security challenges across Nigeria, including the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East and rising cases of banditry and kidnapping in other parts of the country.