The Northern Elders Progressive Group (NEPG) has urged North West governors to cooperate with the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and other security agencies in pursuing dialogue with bandits as a means of ending the cycle of violence.

Speaking in Kaduna, the Coordinator of the group in the zone, Yusuf Abubakar, said the Forum is encouraged by the efforts of the National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu and other stakeholders to explore non-kinetic measures to restore peace in the region. He said: “We are happy with the steps being taken so far.

Travelling recently from Sokoto to Gusau, and from Funtua to Zaria, I observed a more peaceful atmosphere. “Compared to before, there is improvement in security, patrols, and safety of commuters along that road.” He urged governors to embrace dialogue as a better alternative to condolence visits and repeated military operations that overstretch security forces.

“It is better for a governor to spend resources on saving lives than spending billions on condolence. One life is far more important than any political gesture,” Abubakar said.

Responding to critics who argue against negotiation, the Forum maintained that dialogue has been a tested option in other conflictridden countries. He said: “Even powerful nations have negotiated with groups like the Taliban, Al-Qaeda, and the Houthis. Negotiation is not weakness; it is about saving lives.”

Abubakar condemned some governors who claim to possess intelligence on the movements of bandits but fail to share such information with security agencies.

He said: “It is unbecoming of a leader to say he knows the movements of criminals but does nothing with the information. Such propaganda is irresponsible.”