•Let’s understand outlaws, Gumi urges Nigerians
•Raises hope for Kagara schoolboys’ freedom
By Emma Okonji in Lagos and Alex Enumah in Abuja
Senior lawyers yesterday cautioned against the ongoing appeasement of bandits, terrorising several states, particularly in the North-west, through dialogue between them and some governors as well as non-state actors.
They described the dialogue with the bandits, who have kidnapped and killed hundreds of people in Katsina, Niger, Kaduna, Benue, Plateau, Zamfara and Sokoto States, among others, as illegal as there is no legal framework to support it.
The lawyers, including former Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Prof. Epiphany Azinge (SAN); former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof. Chidi Odinkalu; Mr. Dayo Akinlaja (SAN) and Prof. Yemi Akinseye-George (SAN), spoke yesterday in separate interviews with THISDAY against the backdrop of negotiations with the bandits in order
Coalition of Northern Groups backs calls for amnesty for bandits ripplesnigeria.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from ripplesnigeria.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
By Laleye Dipo
The Niger State government yesterday clarified that it is negotiating directly with the abductors of 27 students of the Government Science College, Kagara, their teachers and family members, insisting that a prominent Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Abubakar Gumi is not involved in the negotiation.
The Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, made this known in Minna, the state capital, while speaking to THISDAY.
Matane also said there is no time fixed for the abductees to be released because negotiation is still ongoing.
He disclosed: “Gumi only prepared the platform for the negotiation,â stressing: âHe is not involved in the negotiation.”
Punch Newspapers
Sections
Our Reporters
There were strong indications on Monday that a disagreement among bandits in Niger State was delaying the release of 27 students and 15 workers of Government Science College, Kagara, who were abducted on Wednesday.
A top government source, who confided in
The PUNCH, said the bandits, who carried out the abduction, had not agreed with the warlord government negotiated with.
There was controversy over the release of the abductees on Sunday. Earlier in the day, officials of the Niger State and security sources said the abductees had been released and were on their way to Minna, the state capital.