Stop Apologizing, Negotiating With Terrorists - Obasanjo to FG

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has urged the Federal Government to abandon negotiations with armed groups, arguing that Nigeria can no longer afford to “pamper criminals” while communities continue to suffer violent attacks. 

He insisted that the country must deploy stronger security measures and accept international assistance to stem the worsening crisis.

Obasanjo delivered the warning during the Plateau State Unity Christmas Carol and Praise Festival in Jos, where he said the persistent abductions and mass killings across several northern states have exposed what he described as an alarming gap in the nation’s security response.

His remarks come at a time when banditry has escalated sharply. In recent weeks, schools, worship centres, and farms have been targeted in a wave of coordinated assaults. 

The attack on St Mary’s Catholic School in Niger State on November 21, where 315 students and 13 teachers were whisked away, remains one of the gravest incidents. 

That tragedy followed the kidnapping of 26 schoolgirls from Government Girls Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State, just days earlier.

Moreover, communities in Niger, Kano, and Kwara have faced a string of fresh raids. Twenty-four farmers, including pregnant women, were recently abducted in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, while another twenty people were seized in separate attacks in Kano and Kwara within a 24-hour window. 

The violence continued despite the release of 38 worshippers in Kwara, who regained freedom only after government negotiators struck a deal with their captors.

Obasanjo condemned the recurring reliance on negotiations, insisting that Nigeria must show resolve. 

“People cannot be killed daily while we pretend that dialogue will save us,” he said. “Citizens have every right to seek international help when their own government fails to protect them.”

He argued that technology now gives security agencies the tools to dismantle criminal camps swiftly. 

According to him, the country has advanced far beyond the limitations that existed during his tenure. “We once lacked the means to reach those we tracked,” he explained. 

“Today we have drones capable of neutralising threats without sending soldiers into dangerous terrain. So why are we negotiating instead of acting? Why the apologies?”

Security analysts believe Obasanjo’s comments reflect growing public frustration, especially as terror groups become more organised and emboldened. 

His remarks also revive an ongoing debate over whether Nigeria should welcome more robust foreign partnerships to contain non-state armed groups.

While the former president did not mention specific countries, he stressed that sovereignty should not be used as an excuse for inaction. 

The broader conversation will likely intensify as communities brace for end-of-year festivities amid rising fears of further attacks.