Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has urged the Federal Government to halt all forms of negotiation and appeasement with terrorists, warning that such approaches only embolden criminal groups responsible for worsening insecurity across the country.
Obasanjo, who spoke while addressing the rising cases of violent attacks and mass abductions, said the government must adopt a stronger, technology-driven security strategy to combat insurgency, banditry, and kidnapping.
He argued that continuous apologies, dialogue, and ransom-related engagements send the wrong signal to criminal networks, encouraging them to escalate their activities. Instead, the former president recommended the deployment of advanced surveillance systems, intelligence-gathering tools, and coordinated military action to dismantle the operations of terror groups.
According to him, Nigeria’s insecurity challenge has grown beyond what traditional methods can handle, making it necessary for the country to fully embrace modern security technologies used globally to track criminals, secure communities, and protect citizens.
Obasanjo stressed that every delay in adopting a firm, technology-backed approach puts more Nigerians at risk, adding that the government must show strong political will to reclaim security and restore public confidence.