Federal Government Has Rule Out Dialogue With Bandits In Zamfara State And The Neighboring States.

 Federal Government Has Rule Out Negotiating With Bandits In Zamfara State And The Neighboring States As An Option

The Minister of Defence, Badaru Abubakar, stated yesterday that dialogue with bandits to resolve the issue of armed banditry in Zamfara State and neighbouring states was not an option. Abubakar mentioned that many states have tried and failed with this method. Instead, he urged the European Union to support Nigeria's efforts in combating terrorism through intelligence sharing and providing equipment.

Meanwhile, Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, announced the conversion of Mustapha Umar Elkanemi Arabic (Teachers) College in Maiduguri into a specialized institute that teaches Arabic and Islamic education to counter the ideology of Boko Haram. During a meeting at the Ministry's headquarters in Abuja, Abubakar spoke to the European Union delegation led by Samuela Isopi, the Ambassador of the European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS. Badaru requested the EU delegation to support the federal government's effort to dismantle the insurgency network in the northeast and other emerging security threats nationwide. He sought support in intelligence sharing and equipment to end the ongoing crisis. 

The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, reiterated calls for international support. He said that Nigeria needed the EU's help in personnel training and the provision of modern, sophisticated equipment to fight the state of insecurity in the country. "We need to be proactive and preventive in the fight against all forms of criminality in Nigeria," he said. Matawalle noted that the European Union could assist, support, and strengthen Nigeria's security agencies by finding workable solutions.

Earlier, Isopi said the EU was committed to ensuring that Nigeria overcame the issues of insecurity, banditry, kidnapping and terrorism.

She further stated that the EU was concerned with three main geographical areas: the northeast and Lake Chad basin ravaged by the Boko Haram insurgents, the Niger Delta region, where government derives its revenue through oil and gas and maritime security.

She promised that the EU would deepen its military support to end insurgency in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, Zulum, who announced the conversion of the Arabic College to a specialized institute, made the announcement while on an inspection visit to the college, preparatory to the conversion. 

The initiative responded to the threat posed by Boko Haram, a militant group known for its violent campaign against education and its propagation of a radical and misguided interpretation of Islam. 

When established, the new institute would partner with the Al-Azhar University in Cairo and produce students who would return to Borno's 27 local government areas for preaching that would counter Boko Haram's ideas. 

In his statement, he mentioned that they are there to assess the school's human resources and infrastructure capacity, aiming to convert it into an Al-Azhar Institute. The main objective of establishing this institute is to ensure that every student who graduates from the school can fluently speak Arabic and has a strong knowledge of Islamic teachings.

Moreover, they plan to admit students from all 27 LGAs to preach peace in their respective communities and to prevent any reoccurrence of the previous decade's experience. Governor Zulum has instructed the newly established Borno State Arabic and Tsangaya Education Board to take over the administration of all Tsangaya and Islamic schools to achieve these objectives.