Shittu Condemns Bandit Amnesty, Warns of Brewing Criminal Incentives

A former Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, has issued a stern warning against the growing trend of granting amnesty to bandits, describing the policy as a dangerous incentive for future criminality. Speaking on Wednesday during “Frontline,” a current affairs program on Eagle 102.5 FM in Ilese-Ijebu, the former minister argued that negotiating with armed groups undermines the rule of law and creates a cycle of violence that is unsustainable for national security.

Shittu’s comments come on the heels of a controversial move by the Katsina State Government to secure the release of 70 suspected bandits as part of a local peace arrangement. The former minister expressed strong disapproval of the decision, noting that such concessions serve to embolden criminals rather than reform them. In his view, the state’s primary responsibility is to enforce the law and punish offenders, rather than offering deals to those who have terrorized innocent citizens.

“If you give amnesty to hundreds of criminals, you might as well open the prisons,” Shittu remarked during the broadcast. He contended that the practice sends a “wrong message” to the public, suggesting that one can take up arms, commit atrocities, and later negotiate for freedom and financial concessions. For Shittu, this approach effectively “redistributes insecurity” by allowing unpunished offenders to potentially return to their criminal networks.

The former minister, who served under the late President Muhammadu Buhari, insisted that the only viable solution to the nation’s security crisis is decisive law enforcement. He dismissed the idea that these peace pacts offer long-term stability, pointing to the history of failed negotiations in states like Zamfara and Katsina. He argued that bandits often use such pauses to rearm and regroup, turning the state into a “hostage” to their demands.

Beyond security, Shittu also addressed the current political landscape, specifically the wave of defections to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). While critics have raised concerns about Nigeria drifting toward a one-party state, Shittu blamed the opposition’s internal mismanagement for the exodus. He singled out the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), stating that their inability to stabilize their own executive has made them unattractive to ambitious politicians.

Shittu described the migration of politicians to the APC as “simple arithmetic” driven by a desire for stability and institutional organization. He noted that in a democracy, people will naturally gravitate toward platforms that are better managed. While acknowledging the current economic hardships, he urged Nigerians to remain patient with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, which he described as a necessary “reset” for the country.

The former minister concluded his intervention by reiterating that the federal government must maintain a position of strength. He urged governors to stop “arrogating to themselves” the power to negotiate with terrorists, emphasizing that security is a federal responsibility. For Shittu, the path to peace lies in the unconditional surrender of arms and the rigorous prosecution of those who break the law, rather than “appeasement dressed up as policy.”