Security experts and rights advocates have urged the Federal Government to take tougher action against bandits and other violent criminal groups, as insecurity continues to worsen across northern Nigeria.
Retired military officer and security analyst, Major Bashir Galma, called on authorities to end negotiations with bandits and other armed groups, insisting that the criminals have repeatedly failed to honour peace agreements.
“The situation has reached a critical stage. The government should put aside the issue of dialogue with bandits because they do not keep their promises,” Galma said in an interview.
He also called for stricter measures against informants within communities who allegedly supply intelligence and logistics to criminal groups.
“It has become necessary for the government to deal decisively with informants who are hiding within communities and supplying information to bandits,” he added.
Galma further urged retired security personnel and prominent indigenes of Katsina State to convene a stakeholders’ meeting to develop lasting solutions to banditry and insecurity in the region. He also criticised the Federal Government, alleging that political activities appear to be receiving more attention than security concerns.
“The Federal Government appears to be focusing more on politics at a time when security should be the foundation of peace, stability, and national development,” he said.
Meanwhile, the International Human Rights Commission – Relief Fund Trust (IHRC-RFT) has called on the Federal Government to urgently address insecurity, economic hardship, and rising living costs affecting Nigerians.
In an open letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the group’s Country Director in Nigeria, Ambassador Abdullahi Bakoji Adamu, expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation across the country.
He referenced reports surrounding the death of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, describing it as a reflection of the deepening security crisis.
Human rights lawyer and security analyst, Barrister Bulama Bukarti, also warned that the situation requires urgent intervention, saying the death of the retired general should serve as a wake-up call.
He cited previous incidents involving senior military officers who were victims of insecurity, including General Tsiga, who was abducted and spent over 50 days in captivity, and General Alkali, who was killed along the Jos road.
Bukarti questioned the lack of accountability in such cases and called for a comprehensive review of Nigeria’s security framework.
He stressed that if retired officers who once defended the nation are now vulnerable, ordinary citizens face even greater risks.
The developments have reignited public debate on Nigeria’s security strategies, with renewed calls for stronger and more effective measures to protect lives and property.
