You cannot fight insurgency by doing deals with bandits – ADC tells Tinubu

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Wednesday frowned at claims suggesting that President Bola Tinubu paid ransom to secure the release of students recently kidnapped by terrorists in Manga Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

Several reports on social media, including those attributed to the bandits themselves, indicate that the federal government allegedly secured the release of the girls through negotiation and the payment of an unspecified amount.

The reports contradict the federal government’s position, which stated that security agencies secured the release of the students through the use of superior force.

Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC National Publicity Secretary, in a statement made available to BusinessDay in Abuja, said that while the party rejoices with the families and communities whose loved ones have been rescued from the recent wave of kidnappings across the country—including the worshippers abducted from Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Oke-Isegun, Eruku, Kwara State, and the schoolchildren taken from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, Kebbi State—it is concerned about the “opaque and troubling manner in which their release was secured.”

“While we are delighted that these citizens can finally reunite with their families, we must reiterate our long-standing position that these abductions should never have occurred in the first place if the government were alive to its constitutional responsibilities.”

The party wondered while it took a chastening comment from President Trump to provoke even the slightest response from the government of President Bola Tinubu.

“The conflicting accounts coming from different government officials make it clear that the Federal Government is not being honest with Nigerians about the circumstances surrounding the release of the abducted victims.”

This is as the party said it “strongly believe that this administration is negotiating deals with insurgents.

“It is especially alarming to hear the Inspector General of Police state that the perpetrators of the Kwara church attack were not arrested because they came out voluntarily for the peace talk.”

The ADC said it is equally troubling that the “the Presidential Spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, suggested that the abductees were released simply because the government and security operatives asked them nicely.”

According to the ADC, “This raises serious questions: Is the Nigerian government paying ransom to insurgents? What exactly was exchanged for the so-called “surrender of weapons” by the kidnappers? And if these bandits truly surrendered weapons, what prevents them from simply acquiring new ones and continuing their criminal enterprise, if they are not going to be arrested and brought to face justice?

“What happened to the people they shot and killed in cold blood? Where is justice for the families of those victims if their murderers are allowed to go scot-free because government needs a quick-win to celebrate?”

The ADC said it is “deeply concerned that if negotiation with bandits has become the government’s strategy for tackling insurgency and the surge in kidnappings, then Nigeria is on a dangerous and misguided path. It is the approach of an administration searching for shortcuts instead of confronting the problem decisively.

“By appeasing insurgents in this manner, the government is, in effect, expanding the banditry economy.”

The party also noted that the bandits returned to the same Ekiti Local Government the very next day after the release of the churchgoers, abducting 11 more people in Isaac Community, Ekiti Local Government Area, of Kwara State.

“This pattern shows clearly that a system that focuses on “rescuing” victims without bringing perpetrators to justice only reinforces the vicious cycle of terror.”

Similarly, a video that had gone viral on the social media show the bandits telling the children that the federal government “could not rescue schoolgirls, they negotiated with us” – Bandits boast following the release of abducted Kebbi schoolgirls.

The video came against the backdrop of claim by the government that no ransom was paid before their release.

In the video shared on X by @AM_Saleeem, one of the armed bandits is heard questioning the schoolgirls about military aircraft that flew over the forest during their captivity.

He asks how many jets passed above them, and the girls respond, “uncountable.”

The kidnapper then boasts that the authorities could not rescue the students by force and had to negotiate. The abductors also asked the girls about their condition in captivity.

“Did we leave you hungry?” one bandit asked.

“No,” the girls replied.

“Were you assaulted in any way?” he asked again.

“No,” they answered.

Another kidnapper told them, “We will take you back home safe to your parents, we are doing this based on peace deals.”

He also mocked the government again, stating, “We are letting you go after negotiations. Your government cannot rescue you with might. Your government has failed.”

The footage appeared shortly after Nasir Idris, Kebbi State governor, and Bello Matawalle, Minister of State for Defence, announced that all abducted students had been freed.

The girls, who were kidnapped after armed men stormed their school and killed the vice-principal, were later seen smiling inside a bus as officials prepared to transport them to Birnin Kebbi, the state capital.