The President of the Arewa Youths, Danbature Abdul, has called on the Federal Government to prioritise dialogue as part of its approach to tackling banditry and the growing security challenges across Nigeria.
Speaking on the issue, Abdul stressed that military operations alone cannot solve the country's insecurity, urging the government to engage in meaningful dialogue with bandits while also addressing the root causes of the crisis.
“I will always call on the government to consider dialogue. They should consider dialogue 100% with the bandits because it will go a long way,” he said.
According to him, lasting peace can only be achieved when authorities identify and address the factors fueling violence rather than focusing solely on armed confrontation.
“They need to look at the root. They should know and try to check what the solutions are and what the problems are,” he added.
Abdul also referred to an incident in Benue State where, according to his account, a group leader was allegedly killed after participating in a peace dialogue. He warned that such incidents could discourage future peace negotiations and weaken trust in the process.
He further cautioned against branding an entire ethnic group as terrorists, arguing that the actions of criminals should not be used to stereotype all Fulani people.
“It’s not every Fulani person that is a terrorist. It’s not right to label an entire tribe or ethnic group as terrorists because of the actions of a few. There are still many good Fulanis who are willing to work with the government and provide the military with useful intelligence,” Abdul said.
He concluded by urging security agencies to strengthen collaboration with law-abiding members of communities, saying their cooperation could play a key role in tackling terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and other violent crimes across the country.
VIDEO NEWS: "...They [the government] should consider dialogue, 100 percent, with the bandits because it will go a long way..." - Danbature Abdul, President of Arewa Youths. pic.twitter.com/0jiBcv2ndn
— The Compass Hub (@thecompasshub) June 30, 2026
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