By Obasola Olatunde
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has raised serious concerns over the federal government’s ongoing negotiations with kidnappers and insurgent groups, warning that such deals may inadvertently strengthen the country’s “banditary economy.”
Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesperson for the ADC, said this on Wednesday during an interview on channels Television’s politics today that the government’s approach risks legitimising criminal activity and emboldening armed groups. “Government is making deals with kidnappers. Government is making deals with insurgents. The probable unintended consequence is that, by doing deals with kidnappers, the government is unwittingly reinforcing the banditary economy,” he stated.
Abdullahi added that the pattern of abductions and attacks appears to exploit the government’s response for maximum attention. “It seems the bandits, criminal elements, and insurgents have realized they can put their fingers on a particular pressure point in our nation because it draws global attention. The government is not being honest with Nigerians,” he said.
The ADC spokesperson’s comments come amid growing public debate on the federal government’s security strategy, particularly its reliance on negotiations in response to kidnappings and insurgent attacks across several northern and central states. Critics argue that such engagements encourage more criminal activity by signaling that abductions and attacks can be leveraged for concessions.
The ADC has called for transparency and a more robust intelligence led strategy to tackle insecurity, urging the government to address the root causes of violence rather than negotiating with perpetrators.
