Adeyanju slams govt’s pardoning of terrorists, warns it fuels insecurity

Human rights lawyer and activist, Barrister Deji Adeyanju, has condemned the continued negotiation, pardon, and appeasement of bandits and terrorists by the government, warning that such actions amount to indirect financing of terrorism and pose a serious threat to national security.

Adeyanju argued that terrorism is not a misunderstanding to be resolved through dialogue or concessions, stressing that terrorists do not repent. According to him, these are criminals who should be arrested, prosecuted, and jailed—not hosted in Government Houses or rewarded for violence.

He described the idea of forgiving terrorists as alien to any serious state, noting that it sends a dangerous message that taking up arms, killing citizens, and destabilising the country attracts rewards. Such an approach, he warned, will only embolden others to resort to violence, knowing the government may eventually negotiate and compensate them.

Adeyanju further pointed out the contradiction in treating terrorists with leniency while individuals like Nnamdi Kanu remain in detention, despite not being directly linked to physical killings. He said thousands of Nigerians have been murdered by terrorists who are now being embraced by the state, a development that undermines justice and threatens the country’s long-term security.