Retired Brigadier General Maharazu Tsiga, former Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), has advocated a tougher and more coordinated approach to addressing Nigeria’s security challenges, insisting that negotiations alone cannot bring an end to banditry and terrorism. Tsiga made the remarks on Thursday in Kaduna while speaking with journalists during a press briefing organised by colleagues, friends, and associates of the late retired Major General Abubakar Rabe.
Addressing the issue of insecurity and ongoing efforts to negotiate with bandit groups, the retired military officer described security as a shared responsibility and questioned the effectiveness of engaging criminal elements without tackling the broader support networks that sustain them.
Drawing from his personal experience during captivity, Tsiga argued that terrorist and bandit groups were unlikely to willingly abandon their activities through dialogue alone. He maintained that a more forceful and coordinated strategy was necessary to dismantle their operations and restore peace across affected communities.
“These people are human beings like us; they fear death and they fear being confronted. If we remove that fear through decisive action and face them squarely, we will achieve more meaningful results than endless negotiations,” he said.
Tsiga also raised concerns about the activities of informants and collaborators who allegedly assist criminal groups, noting that some of them operate within local communities as well as government institutions.
Recalling events from his time in captivity, he alleged that bandit leaders openly discussed obtaining ammunition through individuals with access to government resources, suggesting that criminal groups continue to benefit from insider support.
“Who exactly are we negotiating with? You may negotiate with the bandits, but those supplying them and profiting from the conflict will not allow peace to prevail because they are more interested in financial gain than the lives and property of innocent citizens,” he said.
The former NYSC chief urged authorities to intensify efforts against banditry and called on citizens and local communities to provide greater support to security agencies.
According to him, military operations alone cannot deliver lasting success without active public cooperation and intelligence sharing.
“If the Army is doing its part and society fails to support those efforts, then we have all failed. Security is a collective responsibility,” he said.
Tsiga further encouraged communities not to succumb to intimidation by criminal groups, arguing that fear often gives bandits an advantage despite their relatively small numbers.
“When only a few armed men can force hundreds or even thousands of people to flee, it shows the need for collective action. Communities must work together with security agencies to deny criminals the space to operate,” he said.
He emphasised that achieving lasting peace would require a united front involving security agencies, government institutions, and citizens working together to confront criminal networks and those who sponsor or support their activities.