The House of Representatives on Wednesday sharply criticised the Federal Government for engaging in negotiations with bandits to secure the release of 24 students abducted from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State.
The criticism came from a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers known as “House to the Rescue,” who said the government’s decision—revealed by presidential aide Bayo Onanuga—amounted to a grave betrayal of public trust and a setback to national security efforts.
Their remarks followed a special plenary on Tuesday, where members lamented the country’s worsening security climate and the persistent fear under which citizens live as kidnappers and bandits carry out attacks with little restraint.
In a joint statement representing all six geopolitical zones, the coalition declared, “The House to the Rescue unequivocally condemns the Federal Government’s ongoing negotiations with bandits and criminal networks responsible for the wave of kidnappings tearing through Nigeria.
“At a time when citizens are crying out for protection, the government has chosen to sit at the same table with those who abduct children, violate women, terrorise communities, and undermine the authority of the Nigerian state.”
The group faulted President Bola Tinubu’s security strategy, describing the approach as “an abdication of responsibility,” especially as new cases of abductions continue to emerge in Kano, Kwara, Kebbi and other states.
According to the lawmakers, the government’s posture has amounted to “silence, excuses, and back-door concessions to violent groups,” a tactic they argue has never succeeded in curbing crime. “No functioning nation rewards criminality with dialogue. Negotiation with bandits has never worked anywhere,” the statement read.
Drawing from global precedents, the coalition cited failed negotiations with violent groups in Colombia, Mexico, Afghanistan, Somalia, and Mali, arguing that such engagements only embolden criminal actors, escalate violence, and weaken state authority.
The lawmakers warned that negotiating with bandits risks legitimising their activities, encouraging more kidnappings, and further diminishing public confidence in security agencies. They argued that the practice has created “a dangerous business model where abductors take citizens and wait for government representatives to negotiate instead of facing law enforcement.”
They called on the Federal Government to immediately cease all talks with bandits, deploy intelligence-led operations to rescue abductees, and publish a comprehensive national security strategy with clear accountability structures. They also urged the National Assembly to exercise full oversight over any officials involved in unauthorised negotiations.
The statement was signed by Muhammed Soba (North West), Zakari Mohammed (North Central), Olasupo Abiodun (South West), Sadiq Ibrahim (North East), Uko Nkole (South East), and Bassey Ewa (South South).
