Tinubu should dialogue with Zamfara bandits like Yar'Adua did with Niger/Delta militants, ex-Governor Yerima says
The former governor of Zamfara State, Sani Yerima, has asked President Bola Tinubu to negotiate with terror gangs operating in Zamfara State and other parts of the North-west of the country.
Mr Yerima who was addressing journalists after meeting with President Tinubu in Abuja on Monday said the government should negotiate with the terror gangs, locally called bandits, for a lasting peace in the North-west region.
He said the negotiation he is advocating is similar to what the administration of former President Umar Yar'Adua did with militants in the Niger Delta, which gave birth to the amnesty programme.
In 2009, President Yar'Adua granted amnesty to militants in the oil-producing Niger Delta region to tackle the problems of stealing crude oil and kidnapping oil workers.
The amnesty involved training some of the ex-militants in various oil-related professions and offering them jobs; as well as monthly payments to some former militants. The programme, which cost the government billions of naira annually, has been maintained by successive governments.
Although the amnesty programme led to an increase in oil production and reduced kidnappings in the region, it did not eliminate criminality as various heavily-armed gangs still operate there and oil theft is still rampant.
The rampant terrorism in the North-west is more recent compared to the Niger Delta militancy.
Terror gangs operating primarily in the North-west and North-central regions have sacked several rural communities, killing and abducting thousands of people.
Despite efforts by state governments in the region and security agencies, the gangs have continued to attack communities, killing and abducting travellers and other residents. Their activities have also led to the displacement of millions of people.
"These people are Nigerians and I believe that the Nigerian military and other security agencies have the capacity to deal with them squarely if directed and are given the resources they require, support and the political will.
"But the collateral damage that will be associated with the actions they will take is what I believe should be avoided. In the past, the late President Umaru Yar'adua had a similar interaction with militants of the Niger Delta and it was successful," Mr Yerima said on Monday.
The former governor said insecurity in the region is caused by widespread poverty and ignorance.
"The major causes of this problem are poverty and ignorance. So, I believe that as Nigerians, if they are called upon or if the government now comes up with a rehabilitation programme, I am sure we will have a successful end to this crisis," he said.
Mr Yerima's amnesty proposal is not new in the region as several state governors had negotiated with the terrorists in the past, but these deals were soon reneged by the outlaws.
In 2014, a former governor of Zamfara, Abdulaziz Yari, granted amnesty to the gangs. Similarly in 2016, a former governor of Katsina, Aminu Masari, as well as ex-Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State in 2019 granted amnesty to the gangs but none of the deals survived the test of time.
In 2021, federal lawmakers from Zamfara State asked then-President Muhammadu Buhari to grant amnesty to repented bandits as part of a deal to end attacks.
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Be Patient with Tinubu
During the interview with journalists, Mr Yerima also implored Nigerians to be patient with Mr Tinubu. He said the discomfort Nigerians are facing following some of the president's policies such as the removal of subsidy on petrol and the partial floating of the naira are temporary.
"The President, having taken over the realm of affairs of our country, came up with three quick decisions that I believe as an economist, are going to help this country to achieve development. He removed the fuel subsidy, which former leaders could not remove, he has harmonized the foreign exchange, which is going to help the import and export system of this country and finally, he re-opened the borders for goods and services to flow freely in Nigeria," he said.
