By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON The Northern Elders Progressive Group has urged governors in the North-West to work closely with the Office of t
By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
The Northern Elders Progressive Group has urged governors in the North-West to work closely with the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and security agencies in exploring dialogue with bandits as part of ongoing efforts to end the cycle of violence in the region.
Speaking in Kaduna on Tuesday, the group’s Zonal Coordinator, Yusuf Abubakar, expressed confidence in the non-kinetic approach being spearheaded by the NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, alongside other stakeholders.
According to him, recent travels across Sokoto, Gusau, Funtua, and Zaria showed noticeable improvements in security, patrols, and safety of commuters, compared to previous experiences.
Abubakar maintained that dialogue remains a better alternative to repeated condolence visits and overstretched military operations.
“It is better for a governor to invest in saving lives than spending billions on condolence. One life is far more important than any political gesture,” he said.
Responding to critics who dismiss negotiation as weakness, the group insisted that global experience has shown otherwise.
“Even powerful nations have sat at the table with groups like the Taliban, Al-Qaeda, and the Houthis. Negotiation is not weakness; it is about saving lives,” Abubakar stressed.
He criticized some governors who publicly claim to possess intelligence on the movements of bandits, but allegedly fail to share such information with security agencies, describing such behavior as “irresponsible propaganda.”
The group further defended the NSA and the committee handling the peace process, cautioning against politicizing or ridiculing their work.
“The Office of the National Security Adviser represents unity, peace, and security for the country. Attacking it is tantamount to undermining national stability,” he warned.
The elders also commended Senator Shehu Buba, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Intelligence, for his commitment and support toward the peace initiative.
“Senator Buba and other eminent Nigerians working with the NSA deserve commendation, not attacks. The real target of the criticism is the laudable initiative of Malam Nuhu Ribadu. Every responsible northerner should embrace any genuine effort to end the bloodshed and incessant attacks,”Abubakar said.
The group, therefore, called on governors in the North-West to synergize with the NSA, the Minister of Defence, and the Service Chiefs to ensure the dialogue process succeeds.
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