El-Rufai Not Totally Against Negotiation With Bandits – Fayemi

The Governor of Ekiti State and Chairman Nigerian Governor’s Forum (NGF), Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State has stated that some bandits need to be reoriented and rehabilitated.

He stated this while speaking with journalists at the 2021 Pre-Synod Nehemiah Summit organized by the Diocese of Lagos Anglican Communion over the weekend at All Souls’ Church, Lekki, Lagos.

According to him, Nigeria needs to use military approach to address the banditry headache confronting its people as some bandits are irredeemable.

Fayemi also disclosed that Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai is not totally opposed to negotiation with bandits.

He said, “Any loss of life is a loss to all of us; it’s not just to the family members but they feel the pain more. I don’t think my colleague is adverse to negotiation with bandits.

“Governor El-Rufai is only opposed to a particular form of negotiation that embolden the criminals to continue to perpetrate heinous crimes.

“It is on record in the past where he promoted negotiation in retrieving the Chibok girls, so he is not totally averse or completely averse to negotiation.

“I am talking about negotiation by referring to inform research that terrorism hardly disappears on the military field, they almost always attenuated on the negotiation table from.”

He added, “We have always said that there are unemployment and other factors that is fuelling youths violent extremism.

“I refer to drugs, climate change and a whole range of issues. This means that people are not innately criminal, there are sometimes socio-economic underpinnings responsible for their criminal acts.

“I know how agitated the Governor of Kaduna is. He is far more knowledgeable about the local situation and he will do what is best for its citizen.

”I know he is a serious governor and I know him to be committed to the safety of lives of the people.”