Nigerian human rights lawyer and activist, Deji Adeyanju, has condemned the federal government for negotiating with, pardoning, and allegedly compensating terrorists and armed bandits, warning that such actions indirectly finance terrorism and threaten national security.
In a statement released Monday, Adeyanju described the government’s approach as “dangerous, irresponsible, and unprecedented,” emphasizing that terrorism and banditry are crimes, not disputes to be resolved through dialogue or appeasement.
“The continued negotiation, payment, forgiveness, and appeasement of bandits and terrorists amounts to indirect financing of terrorism,” Adeyanju said. “Terrorists do not repent, and banditry is not a misunderstanding that can be settled across negotiation tables.”
He stressed that those involved in mass killings, kidnappings, and the destruction of communities should face prosecution rather than receiving government rewards or reintegration programs. “These are criminals who should be arrested, prosecuted, and jailed, not hosted in Government Houses or rewarded with concessions,” he added.
Adeyanju warned that forgiving terrorists sets a dangerous precedent, encouraging others to take up arms by signaling that violence can yield concessions. He also highlighted what he sees as a double standard in government policy, citing the detention of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu while terrorists responsible for far greater atrocities are pardoned.
“This selective justice undermines public confidence in the rule of law and weakens the moral authority of the state,” Adeyanju said. He concluded by cautioning that rewarding those who kill citizens jeopardizes national security and the stability of Nigeria.
