Nigeria: Tinubu’s Failure as Commander-in-Chief Forces States and Communities to Negotiate with Bandits Amid Escalating Security Crisis

As insecurity deepens across Nigeria, the federal government under President Bola Tinubu has once again exposed its inability to effectively tackle the persistent banditry crisis, forcing both states and local communities to take matters into their own hands by negotiating directly with criminals.

Recent reports reveal that in Zamfara State, communities ravaged by continuous attacks have resorted to negotiating peace agreements with bandits to secure peace after enduring years of violence and government neglect. These grassroots negotiations are a desperate response to the failure of official security forces to protect vulnerable populations. This trend highlights the gap created by the federal government’s inability to impose law and order.

Similarly, in Sokoto State, the state government has openly confirmed engaging in dialogue with bandit groups. In a statement, Sokoto authorities insisted that their decision to negotiate was not borne out of weakness, but rather a pragmatic response to a dire security situation. This admission highlights the federal government’s failure to provide leadership and security, leaving states to adopt unconventional and risky approaches to protect their citizens.

Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, a controversial cleric known for mediating with bandits, disclosed that he accompanied government officials and police in efforts to negotiate with bandits in the Northwest. While some view these efforts as stopgap measures, they serve as a stark indictment of President Tinubu’s failure to fulfil his primary duty as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, to safeguard Nigerian lives and territory.

Under Tinubu’s administration, military operations have proven insufficient to dismantle bandit networks, and security agencies remain overstretched and under-resourced. The growing reliance on unofficial negotiations with bandits not only legitimises criminal groups but also further erodes public confidence in the government’s ability to provide security.

Nigerians argue that Tinubu’s administration has been slow to develop a coherent, effective strategy to address banditry and kidnappings, instead relying on defensive rhetoric and token military gestures. The absence of a unified national security approach has left states like Zamfara and Sokoto bearing the brunt of violence with little federal support.

This reality paints a picture of a leadership gap at the highest level. As Commander-in-Chief, President Tinubu’s responsibility is to ensure the nation’s security and stability. Yet, his failure to decisively tackle banditry has forced sub-national actors into precarious negotiations with criminals, a situation no democratic government should allow.

Without urgent, coordinated federal action, Nigeria risks a further breakdown of law and order, where violent non-state actors dictate terms and citizens are left vulnerable. The nation’s senators’ architecture needs urgent reform, and President Tinubu must rise above political posturing to lead with the resolve and effectiveness Nigerians desperately need.

Read: Nigeria: Gunmen Assassinate Former PDP Chairman and Forest Security Commander in Benue

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