Convener of the Police Integrity Movement, Isaiah Davies Ijele, has called for more aggressive action against banditry, urging Nigerian security forces to confront criminal groups in their forest hideouts and strengthen intelligence-led operations.
According to an Arise News report published on Saturday, July 4, 2026, Ijele said security agencies must sustain pressure on kidnappers and bandits by denying them safe havens and improving coordination, intelligence gathering and military capabilities. He argued that defeating the groups would require determination, modern equipment and a willingness to accept the risks involved in restoring security.
To illustrate his point about psychological deterrence, Ijele recounted a fictional scene from a comedy film in which a kidnapped woman’s husband refused to negotiate with her abductors.
“His wife was kidnapped, he told them, ‘Keep her, I’m not interested.’ They were surprised. They called again, he said, ‘Keep her.'”
Ijele said the story was meant to show that kidnappers often rely on fear and the expectation of negotiations to gain leverage. He urged the government to intensify operations against criminal networks, stressing that sustained and coordinated action is needed to end kidnapping and banditry across Nigeria.
