A former Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig.-Gen. Maharazu Tsiga (retd), has urged the federal government to adopt a more decisive military approach to tackling insecurity, declaring that negotiations alone cannot end banditry and terrorism in Nigeria.
Tsiga made the call on Thursday in Kaduna during a press briefing organized by colleagues and associates of the late Maj.-Gen. Abubakar Rabe (retd), who recently died in the custody of abductors.
Drawing from his own past experience in captivity, the retired general questioned the effectiveness of engaging criminal groups without dismantling the wider networks that support them. He maintained that terrorist and bandit groups are unlikely to voluntarily disband through dialogue.
“These people are human beings like us; they fear death and they fear being confronted,” Tsiga said. “If we remove that fear through decisive action and face them squarely, we will achieve more meaningful results than endless negotiations.”
He also raised alarms over the complicity of informants and collaborators, noting that some operate within local communities and government institutions.
Recalling an incident during his time in captivity, Tsiga alleged that bandit leaders openly discussed procuring ammunition from individuals with access to government resources, suggesting deep-seated insider support.
“Who exactly are we negotiating with?” he asked. “You may negotiate with the bandits, but those supplying them and profiting from the conflict will not allow peace to prevail because they are more interested in financial gain than the lives and property of innocent citizens.”
The retired general urged authorities to intensify kinetic operations against banditry while calling on the public to actively support security agencies. He stressed that military operations cannot succeed without robust public cooperation and intelligence sharing.
“If the Army is doing its part and society fails to support those efforts, then we have all failed. Security is a collective responsibility,” he said.
Tsiga further encouraged communities to resist intimidation, arguing that bandits often succeed by exploiting fear rather than relying on superior numbers.
“When only a few armed men can force hundreds or even thousands of people to flee, it shows the need for collective action. Communities must work together with security agencies to deny criminals the space to operate,” he added.
(NAN)
