Former Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has warned that negotiating with bandits and paying ransoms only strengthens criminal groups by providing them with the resources to expand their operations.
Speaking in an interview aired on Channels Television on Monday, July 20, 2026, Ganduje argued that kidnapping generates funds that enable bandits to acquire more weapons and intensify attacks.
“They will be able to enrich themselves through kidnapping, and that will give them more financial power to purchase weapons, which they will also use against us. Then we panic, and we call them for negotiation,” he said.
Ganduje urged authorities to prioritize intelligence-driven operations, coordinated planning and simultaneous raids on criminal hideouts instead of negotiating with armed groups.
He also emphasized that tackling insecurity requires the support of communities, parents, religious leaders and other stakeholders, arguing that security cannot be left solely to government agencies.
The former governor concluded by calling for sustained institutional cooperation and stronger intelligence-based strategies to restore peace, improve public safety and prevent bandits from gaining further influence.
