By Israel Joel, Kassim Omomia, David Lawani, Golok Nanmwa and Musa Shehu 
Domnan Miner Legal luminary, Jos
Government has no business negotiating with bandits. Only groups with legitimate concerns deserve to be negotiated with and the bandits currently running amok in this country are nothing short of terrorists. 

Negotiations will not only embolden them as we have seen but also risks legitimizing the goals and methods of these bandits.

With the glaring inadequacies of our security apparatus, how else can the regular citizen protect himself from armed aggressors without taking up arms?

While people of the contrary position will rightly observe that we might risk turning into a vigilante state, one of my most favorite quotes from Thomas Jefferson is most instructive;

“The laws that forbid the carrying of arms disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes.

Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve to encourage rather than prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man

Lilian Biyal, Accountant, Jos

 Negotiating with bandits is not the best way to tackle insecurity . The  menace of bandits have now  become a source of worry to the government and citizens .

I call on our security operatives to go after  this bandits and ensure that they are arrested  and brought to book .

Mrs Rose Adeoye, Beautician, Oshodi, Lagos

He he he, you make me to laugh; negotiate with who? A beg leave me alone. Those who are busy talking with terrorists should think of their children.

But maybe they have a special kind of protection to feel what others feel when their houses are razed down or families are killed.

Hundreds are being killed everyday and you say you are negotiating with bandits? It seems they are all losing ideas.

Comrade Bashir Taura, Civil society activist

The conglomeration of civil society organisations in Dutse has called on the Federal Government to enter into dialogue with the bandits, as against confrontational fight, as a panacea to security challenges confronting the country.

We view with concern the high increase in banditry and kidnappings in major states in the federation.

Honestly, the spate of banditry and kidnappings bedevilling our community is posing a serious concern on peace amongst Nigerians. We call on the federal government to as a matter of urgency to tackle the situation before it get out of hand.

If the government in the past could be able to grant amnesty to the Niger Deltans, I see no reason why such measures should not be tried with the bandits, aimed at bringing security challenges to an end.

Hyacinth Ugoh, Trader

CAPITAL NO! It does not make any sense to negotiate with bandits or criminals at all. Remember that these people are killers. 

If the government goes ahead to hold talks with people identified as bandits, it shows that they are not serious about the war on insurgency. Haba, why even think that way?

Who bears the brunt of the whole matter when issues escalates? They say that when the fish wants to rot, it begins from the head. I don’t even think anybody could be trying to negotiate with terrorists. Not at all.

Hon. Washington Osifo, Ex-commissioner, Edo State

‘’It is very unfortunate that we found ourselves where we are today. We take a lot of things for granted, and that is why we are where we are.

There is nowhere in the world where a responsible government will negotiate with bandits. They are mistaking something.

They are comparing the issue with that of the Niger Delta amnesty; that when you lay down your arms, we will give you amnesty. It is not a fight between the South  and North.

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When they threaten that they will carry arms and you settle them. You took them to the best schools. You gave them scholarship, gave them money, and you train them here and there.

You took some of them on as pilots and engineers. Some even became lawyers. That means that you are empowering them over and above the north.

Therefore, the northerners must also do something to reflect that. Now, the question is, if you are carrying on with agitation, the reason for it must be identified.