World Institute for Peace (WIP) has called on the federal government not to grant amnesty to armed bandits but to deploy more resources and flush them out of the forests.
The executive director (WIP) Lamina Omotoyosi made the call at the World Institute for Peace, International Peace Summit Abuja 2023 and book launch on how to end banditry in Nigeria held at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre.
He said the Nigerian Army is rated one of the best in the world and is capable of salvaging the situation if given the right order.
“I’m pleading with the federal government not to give amnesty to bandits. Government should make use of its army. The Nigerian Army is quite capable of facing any issue . Government should be taking good care of its soldiers. We have the best infantry soldiers so they should enter the forests and flush these bandits out,” he said.
He called on the government to adopt the recommendations of the book and implement it immediately to end the menace of banditry.
He further called on the federal government to be firm and take decisions that will restore peace and normalcy across the country.
“If we want this country to grow, the government shouldn’t say people will talk if we do this. Government should close its eyes and do what is right.
“The government must say this thing is right and should be done. Recently, I heard that one of the former governors of Zamfara State was pleading for the government to give amnesty to bandits. On what basis?
“The government should not give amnesty to armed bandits because if the government says they want to give amnesty to bandits, on what basis? He mentioned the Niger Delta. But let me tell you, the issues of Niger Delta are different from what is happening in places where bandits are disturbing people.
“One, the Niger Deltans are fighting that their resources are being used by the nation without taking care of them and the community, so they have every right, every tendency, every power to fight because some of them cannot even drink water from their soil. Everything has been contaminated.
“The people of the Niger Delta have every right, every reason to fight the government but talking of the bandits in the North, what are the resources that the government is taking from the North that they would tell us? You just wake up and start killing innocent people? No!” he said.
Earlier, the guest speaker, Ambassador Pradeep Sapkota said the government must conquer hunger to truly address insecurity. He, therefore, called on the federal government to increase investment in technology driven agriculture to boost food production.
