He also stated that some bandits only need to be reoriented and rehabilitated, adding that unemployment and other socio-economic issues contribute to their criminal activities.
The Governor of Ekiti State and Chairman Nigerian Governor’s Forum (NGF), Kayode Fayemi has said Nigeria needs to use military approach to address the banditry headache confronting its people as some bandits are irredeemable.
He also stated that some bandits only need to be reoriented and rehabilitated, adding that unemployment and other socio-economic issues contribute to their criminal activities.
He also disclosed that his Kaduna State counterpart, Nasir El-Rufai is not totally opposed to negotiation with bandits.
According to him, El-Rufai is only against a particular form of negotiation that emboldens the criminals to keep perpetuating heinous crime .
Fayemi spoke with journalists at the 2021 Pre-Synod Nehemiah Summit organised by the Diocese of Lagos Anglican Communion over the weekend at All Souls’ Church, Lekki, Lagos.
He said, “Any loss of life is a loss to all of us; it's not just to the family members but they feel the pain more. I don’t think my colleague is adversed to negotiation with bandits.
“Governor El-Rufai is only opposed to a particular form of negotiation that embolden the criminals to continue to perpetrate heinous crimes.
“It is on record in the past where he promoted negotiation in retrieving the Chibok girls, so he is not totally averse or completely averse to negotiation.
“I am talking about negotiation by referring to inform research that terrorism hardly disappears on the military field, they almost always attenuated on the negotiation table from.”
He added, “We have always said that there are unemployment and other factors that is fuelling youths violent extremism.
“I refer to drugs, climate change and a whole range of issues. This means that people are not innately criminal, there are sometimes socio-economic underpinnings responsible for their criminal acts.
“I know how agitated the Governor of Kaduna is. He is far more knowledgeable about the local situation and he will do what is best for its citizen.
”I know he is a serious governor and I know him to be committed to the safety of lives of the people.”
He said Nigeria needs adopt the kinetic and non-action kinetic ways of fighting insecurity.
"And for those who are beyond redemption and some of these bandits are beyond redemption, we must to go and take them out," he said.