A youth group under the banner Teamsunrise has urged President Bola Tinubu to order the arrest and prosecution of individuals who claim to negotiate with bandits and other criminal networks across Nigeria.
In a statement issued in Calabar, the group argued that those who engage in unofficial negotiations with violent groups undermine national security rather than contributing to its restoration.
Teamsunrise also called for an urgent and transparent investigation into allegations that some Nigerian Army personnel have been recruiting or informally collaborating with bandits in certain regions. The group described these claims as alarming and insisted that the military and relevant security agencies must clarify the situation.
They warned that any form of unauthorized recruitment, negotiation, or collaboration with violent groups poses grave risks to citizens and further strains the country’s already fragile security architecture. According to them, if the allegations are verified, they would amount to a serious breach of professional conduct within the security sector.
In a related development, another civil society organization, the Sunrise Youth Entrepreneur Initiative, led by Princewill Chimezie Richards, questioned why individuals reportedly negotiating with criminal groups have not faced investigation or prosecution.
Richards argued that unauthorized contact with bandits or terrorists should never be normalized or excused. He urged the federal government to address the allegations openly and ensure that anyone found aiding or enabling violent groups is held accountable.
“If these allegations are true, the government must not ignore them. Anyone involved in recruiting or negotiating with violent groups should be held responsible under the law,” Richards said.
Both groups also criticized what they described as inconsistencies in the handling of security-related cases in Nigeria. They referenced the recent sentencing of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu, noting that while his controversial broadcasts were made from abroad and partly constituted political expression, his conduct during court appearances weakened his legal position.
Meanwhile, retired Major General Abdul Khalifa Ali-Keffi, former General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division, has revealed that Operation Service Wide (OSW)—a high-level, multi-agency task force he led in 2021—uncovered extensive evidence linking the financiers of banditry and Boko Haram to influential figures in government, the military, and the financial sector.
Ali-Keffi, who was specifically appointed to head the operation, said OSW’s mandate was to identify Boko Haram masterminds, disrupt their funding channels, and dismantle networks sustaining the insurgency. According to him, the task force uncovered a complex web of sponsors connected to senior government officials, top military officers, and major financial institutions.
