No Negotiating With Insurgents, Bandits – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has stated emphatically that he is committed to dealing with those who terrorise innocent citizens of Nigeria and will not negotiate with bandits, kidnappers and insurgents.

He said this at a meeting with the governors of the 19 northern states where he was represented by his Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Gambari, Punch reports.

Buhari said, “The Government shall continue to deal with insurgents, bandits, kidnappers and other criminals constitute innocent threat citizens across the country.”

He also asked Nigerians to desist from ethnic profiling.

“Criminals are criminals and should be dealt with accordingly without resorting to ethnic profiling. I have already tasked the new Service Chiefs to devise new strategies that will end this ugly situation where the lives of our people continue to be threatened by hoodlums and criminals,” he said

The meeting which held at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House, Kaduna State had in attendance the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, the Director General of the Department of State Service, Yusuf Bichi and the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed.

The essence of the meeting was to discuss the troubling security challenges occasioned by banditry and other related crimes as well as the almajirinci menace in the northern states.

Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai said that peace and security were key componenets for northern states development.

“Amidst the fears and despairs of the moment, we have a chance to offer hope and buoy up the spirit of our people. Our people are looking up to us for solutions. We need peace and security in the north and Nigeria.

“We must discharge our duty as leaders to them by collaborating across all divides to solve the challenges that confront our region and Nigeria.”