‘We’ll Negotiate With Terrorists, Criminals to End Insecurity if Elected’ — Peter Obi’s Running Mate, Kwankwaso

• Rabiu Kwankwaso says an administration led by him and Peter Obi would be open to engaging terrorists and other criminal elements as part of a broader strategy to restore peace and tackle Nigeria’s security challenges.

The running mate to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has said their administration would be willing to engage terrorists and other criminal elements in dialogue if elected in the 2027 general election.

Kwankwaso said the move would form part of a broader strategy aimed at ending Nigeria’s worsening insecurity by discouraging violent groups from continuing their attacks while rebuilding trust between affected communities and security agencies.

He made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television on Monday while outlining how an Obi-Kwankwaso administration would address insecurity across the country.

According to him, many residents in communities plagued by insecurity already know the identities and locations of those responsible for attacks but are often reluctant to share such information with security agencies.

“You see, all these things that are happening today, if you go to localities, those places that these insecurities are happening, I can tell you people know almost everything,” he said.

Kwankwaso added that the reluctance stems from previous experiences where residents who provided intelligence allegedly suffered negative consequences.

“They know their locations, they know the names of all those involved, and so on and so forth. But what is happening now is many of the communities are even afraid to go forward and tell the security agencies or agents of what is actually happening. Because many of them have done that in the past, and of course, they did not enjoy it.”

He said his administration would focus on restoring public confidence in security institutions while also seeking ways to persuade those involved in criminal activities to abandon violence.

“So we will give people confidence. We will work on the people, even the terrorists, and of course, the criminals themselves, to see what can be done really to discourage their action,” he stated.

When asked directly whether his government would negotiate with terrorists, Kwankwaso responded, “Of course, we will talk to everybody.”

He, however, clarified that dialogue would not replace military action where necessary, stressing that security agencies would continue to play a vital role in tackling threats to national security.

“And of course, if there is any issue that will require the services of the military or other security agencies, I can tell you, we will be very happy to do it,” he added.