Human rights lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju has warned that granting forgiveness to terrorists violates the 1999 Constitution and poses a grave threat to Nigeria’s national security.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Adeyanju condemned the government’s ongoing negotiations and concessions to bandits and terrorists, describing the approach as incompatible with the standards of a serious state. He argued that continuous dialogue, payments, and amnesty for violent groups amount to indirect financing of terrorism.
According to him, terrorism is not a misunderstanding that can be resolved through negotiation. He stressed that terrorists do not truly repent and should not be appeased under any circumstance.
Adeyanju also faulted some state governments for engaging criminals in talks in a bid to achieve temporary peace.
“These are criminals who ought to be arrested, prosecuted, and imprisoned, not welcomed into Government Houses or rewarded with concessions,” he said.
He warned that forgiving terrorists creates a dangerous precedent by signaling that violence, killings, and destabilization of the country can attract government attention, rewards, and negotiations.
Adeyanju further cautioned that such policies embolden others to take up arms, believing the state will eventually negotiate with them. He contrasted the treatment of terrorists with that of separatist figures such as Nnamdi Kanu, noting that while Kanu has not personally killed anyone, thousands of Nigerians have been murdered by terrorists who are now reportedly being accommodated by the government.
He concluded that the continued appeasement of terrorists undermines justice, weakens the rule of law, and threatens the long-term stability and security of the nation.