By Peace Udugba
A security analyst and Convener of the Katsina Security Community Initiative, Bashir Kurfi, has criticised ongoing peace negotiations with armed groups in northern Nigeria, describing the arrangements as “a tragedy” and warning that they could undermine national security.
Kurfi, who said he previously served as a consultant to the Libyan government under the late Col. Muammar Ghaddafi on alternatives to the World Bank, made the remarks on Tuesday during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State.
He questioned the structure and credibility of negotiations with bandit groups, arguing that genuine peace processes require organisation, accountability and equal commitment from all parties.
“You see, they have these so-called peace agreements. But this peace agreement itself is a tragedy,” he said.
Kurfi alleged that, unlike internationally recognised conflict resolution processes, negotiations with armed groups in Nigeria are often conducted on terms dictated by the bandits themselves.
According to him, the armed groups determine the venue of the meetings, which are frequently held in their forest enclaves, while government officials attend unarmed and the bandits arrive carrying weapons.
“When they are making peace agreement with these terrorists, the bandits direct where that meeting should take place—in their enclave, in the bush. They also come with their guns. How do you have a peace agreement when the community and government officials go there unarmed, while they come with weapons?” he queried.
Kurfi further cited the killing of a senior police officer in his area as an example of what he described as the contradictions surrounding such peace efforts.
He alleged that a notorious bandit leader identified as Jankari celebrated the killing of the officer and subsequently attended a peace meeting wearing the slain officer’s uniform.
“When he was killed, one of the bandit leaders, Jankari, took the commissioner’s uniform and the following day the bandits organised a celebration because that commissioner was very effective. He wore the officer’s uniform with his name on it,” Kurfi claimed.
He further alleged that the same individual later appeared at a peace meeting attended by government officials, traditional rulers and police officers while still wearing the uniform.
“In any genuine peace process, you should avoid reopening wounds. Yet he came to the meeting wearing the uniform of the officer he allegedly killed,” he said.
Links Banditry to Mining Activities
Kurfi also criticised Nigeria’s security architecture, questioning why the country’s intelligence and military capabilities have struggled to contain armed groups.
Referring to the recent killing of a retired military general by kidnappers, he argued that modern surveillance technology should enable security agencies to track criminal elements more effectively.
He also alleged that many bandits relocate to southern parts of the country, particularly areas with active mining operations, to evade security pressure.
“Many of these bandits are in the South-West. When they want to hide from vigilantes or security operatives, some of the safest places they go are in the South,” he claimed.
Kurfi further alleged that illegal mining sites provide favourable conditions for criminal activities, claiming there appears to be collaboration between some operators and armed groups.
“If you go to these mining locations deep inside the forests, you will find foreigners working there, yet the bandits never attack them. That raises serious questions,” he said.
He also claimed that mining communities have become centres for illicit activities, including drug trafficking, alcohol sales and prostitution, which he alleged create an environment that benefits criminal networks.
“When you go to the mining areas, you find alcohol, drugs, prostitution and entertainers performing there. These activities provide relief and incentives for the bandits. That is what is happening,” he alleged.
Kurfi urged policymakers and security agencies to address what he described as the broader structural causes of insecurity, arguing that tackling criminality requires more than military operations alone.
According to him, Nigeria must critically examine the social, economic and institutional factors fuelling insecurity.
“A serious country must look at the implications of these realities. You cannot dismiss them without addressing the contradictions within the system,” he said.
He concluded that Nigeria’s security challenges cannot be effectively resolved without confronting the underlying conditions that continue to sustain criminality and instability across the country.
