We won’t negotiate with bandits, terrorists — FG

Maj-Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd.), the National Security Adviser
says the government will apply its full weight to deal with the
criminals and will not be blackmailed by any group of people into
negotiating with those who threaten the nation’s peace.

The NSA who spoke on Thursday at a State House Briefing in Aso
Villa, Abuja, said the present administration is not interested in
negotiation with bandits, terrorists, and other criminal elements
terrorizing the country.

He argued that dialoguing with insurgents paints the government
as weak and incapable.

“The government is tackling the problem of insecurity, we’ve
said this many times that there are two phases in solving this
problem –the soft approach: talking, negotiating, and so on and so
forth.

“While the government is not averse to talking to these
entities, these human beings, I have to be very honest, the
government has to apply its weight, that force that is required
because you can’t even talk with people who are unreliable people,
who will turn out to do a different thing and people who will
continue to hurt society.

“So, basically, what the government wants to rely upon is to
deal with this issue by using all the assets – military assets,
intelligence assets to eliminate these people.

“If along the line, some of them are ready to come out and talk
and negotiate, when the time comes, we will do that but for now, we
can’t keep on dwelling on ‘Let’s dialogue’.

“Psychologically, it is not even good for us, it paints the
picture of weakness, it paints the picture of incapacity and I,
just like the governor of Kaduna State said, do not see any reason
why we cannot, with what we have, deal with these elements.

“These are not people who are looking for anything that is
genuine (or) legitimate; these are people who are just out to
perform atrocities, to take calculated measures to inflict pain,
violence on people.

“At the slightest opportunity, they go haywire. And so, it is
important for us to realize that we are dealing with people who are
not looking for anything, people who without provocation will give
birth to their homicidal instincts. We must deal with them the way
they have to be dealt with.”

Munguno stated that Nigeria is faced with a new type of
(asymmetrical) war, adding that issues of a gross deficiency in
equipment and lack of personnel have played a part in the way
things are at the moment.

He however believes that the change of security chiefs brings a
ray of hope and will help fix all lapses that may exist.

Maj-Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd.), the National Security Adviser
says the government will apply its full weight to deal with the
criminals and will not be blackmailed by any group of people into
negotiating with those who threaten the nation’s peace.

The NSA who spoke on Thursday at a State House Briefing in Aso
Villa, Abuja, said the present administration is not interested in
negotiation with bandits, terrorists, and other criminal elements
terrorizing the country.

He argued that dialoguing with insurgents paints the government
as weak and incapable.

“The government is tackling the problem of insecurity, we’ve
said this many times that there are two phases in solving this
problem –the soft approach: talking, negotiating, and so on and so
forth.

“While the government is not averse to talking to these
entities, these human beings, I have to be very honest, the
government has to apply its weight, that force that is required
because you can’t even talk with people who are unreliable people,
who will turn out to do a different thing and people who will
continue to hurt society.

“So, basically, what the government wants to rely upon is to
deal with this issue by using all the assets – military assets,
intelligence assets to eliminate these people.

“If along the line, some of them are ready to come out and talk
and negotiate, when the time comes, we will do that but for now, we
can’t keep on dwelling on ‘Let’s dialogue’.

“Psychologically, it is not even good for us, it paints the
picture of weakness, it paints the picture of incapacity and I,
just like the governor of Kaduna State said, do not see any reason
why we cannot, with what we have, deal with these elements.

“These are not people who are looking for anything that is
genuine (or) legitimate; these are people who are just out to
perform atrocities, to take calculated measures to inflict pain,
violence on people.

“At the slightest opportunity, they go haywire. And so, it is
important for us to realize that we are dealing with people who are
not looking for anything, people who without provocation will give
birth to their homicidal instincts. We must deal with them the way
they have to be dealt with.”

Munguno stated that Nigeria is faced with a new type of
(asymmetrical) war, adding that issues of a gross deficiency in
equipment and lack of personnel have played a part in the way
things are at the moment.

He however believes that the change of security chiefs brings a
ray of hope and will help fix all lapses that may exist.