Bandits Don’t Deserve Second Chance, Treat Them as Terrorists — Governor Uba Sani

Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, has taken a hardline stance against the ongoing security challenges in the Northwest, declaring that bandits have forfeited their right to a "second chance" due to the gravity of their atrocities against innocent Nigerians.

Governor Uba Sani has officially ruled out any form of negotiation or amnesty for bandits operating within Kaduna State and the wider Northern region. Speaking on the persistent threat of kidnapping and rural banditry, the Governor insisted that these criminal elements must be treated as terrorists and eliminated.

The Governor’s remarks come as a departure from previous administrative attempts in the region to offer "olive branches" or repentance programs to armed groups.

### **‘They Are Terrorists, Not Rebels’**

Governor Sani argued that the scale of violence, displacement, and economic sabotage caused by these groups has crossed a line where forgiveness is no longer a viable state policy. He maintained that bandits have repeatedly squandered opportunities to lay down their arms, choosing instead to escalate their attacks on schools, farms, and highways.

“Any person who takes up arms against innocent citizens, kidnaps children, and destroys livelihoods does not deserve a second chance,” the Governor stated. “We must stop romanticizing these criminals by calling them 'disgruntled' or 'insurgents.' They are terrorists, and the only language they understand is the superior force of the law.”

### **Support for Military Action**

The Governor called on the Nigerian military and other security agencies to intensify their kinetic operations. He emphasized that the "non-kinetic" approach—which includes dialogue and social interventions—can only work for law-abiding citizens, not for those who have turned violence into a business model.

He noted that the security of Kaduna State remains his administration’s top priority, and he pledged continued support for the armed forces to ensure that "every inch of Kaduna forest is reclaimed from these enemies of the state."

### **Community Cooperation**

While advocating for a ruthless military response, Governor Sani also urged local communities to be more proactive in intelligence sharing. He warned that "informants" within villages are the greatest threat to security operations, adding that those who aid bandits are just as guilty as those who pull the trigger.

The Governor’s stance has been widely seen as a signal of the growing frustration among Northern leaders over the failure of past peace pacts with bandits, which many analysts believe only allowed the criminals to re-arm and reorganize.