ACF’s Dalhatu Urges FG to Combine Amnesty With Military Action, Says Bandits Haven’t Experienced City Life

Bashir Dalhatu, the chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), has urged the Federal Government to think about using both military action and discussion to combat instability. He claims that this dual strategy has worked in other regions of the nation.

In an interview with Arise Television’s Morning Show on Friday, Dalhatu stated that northern Nigeria might consider a strategy analogous to the Niger Delta amnesty scheme.

He asked the government to lend a “hand of friendship” while upholding severe sanctions for illegal conduct, pointing out that many bandits lack fundamental possibilities like education and exposure to urban life.

He claims that there is a heated debate in the North between proponents of diplomacy and those who favor a strictly military reaction.

Evidence, he added, indicates that a combination of the two tactics has worked in a number of situations.

Dalhatu cited the Niger Delta amnesty program as an example of how the effort effectively rehabilitated militants by offering education and reintegration support. He added that the North might take a similar approach.

However, he emphasized that participation should not be interpreted as endorsing criminal activity.

“Most of these bandits have not had the opportunity to go to school, have not had the opportunity to actually enjoy what we ordinarily do in the cities,” he stated. And it’s probably only for the government to extend friendly hands while making it very evident that what they are doing is unlawful and criminal, and anybody caught in the act will be prosecuted.

Dalhatu noted that recent government initiatives, supported by the people, have shown some progress while acknowledging that security services already mix military operations with sporadic conversations.