Stop Rewarding Terrorists, PeacePro Cautions FG

As Nigerians commemorate Democracy Day, the Foundation for Peace Professionals (PeacePro) has called on the Federal Government to adopt a more decisive national doctrine against terrorist kidnapping, declaring that kidnapping for terror must become “a path to destruction, not reward.”

In a statement issued by its Executive Director, Abdulrazaq Hamzat, PeacePro said that while Nigeria has made significant democratic progress since 1999, the persistence of terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping continues to undermine citizens’ confidence in the ability of the state to guarantee security and liberty.

According to Hamzat, no democracy can attain its full potential when citizens live under the constant threat of abduction by terrorist groups and criminal networks.

“Democracy is ultimately about freedom. A citizen who cannot travel safely, farm safely, learn safely, or live without fear of abduction is yet to fully enjoy the dividends of democracy.”

PeacePro argued that Nigeria’s response to terrorist kidnapping must move beyond reactive measures and evolve into a comprehensive doctrine focused on dismantling kidnapping networks and imposing severe consequences on perpetrators and their support structures.

“The national policy towards terrorist kidnapping should be uncompromising,” Hamzat stated.

“Once a citizen is abducted by a terrorist organization, the Nigerian state must treat the incident as a national security emergency and mobilize every available resource to dismantle the entire terrorist network responsible.”

PeacePro called for an integrated intelligence, law enforcement, and military response capable of targeting not only kidnappers but also their financiers, informants, suppliers, recruiters, and collaborators.

“Every component of the criminal enterprise must be identified, exposed, prosecuted, and, where necessary and lawful, neutralized,” the statement said.

PeacePro maintained that terrorist kidnapping has persisted largely because many criminal groups continue to perceive it as a low risk, high reward activity.

“That calculation must change,” Hamzat said.

“The state must impose costs so severe that terrorist organizations conclude that kidnapping is a path to destruction rather than reward.”

“While every effort should be made to recover victims alive, national policy cannot allow terrorist groups to gain strategic advantage by using hostages as shields against justice,” the statement noted.

“The responsibility for any harm that comes to hostages rests first and foremost with the terrorists who abducted them.”

PeacePro further argued that the success of anti kidnapping operations should not be measured solely by the rescue of victims but also by the destruction of the networks responsible.

“Justice for kidnapped citizens should not end with sympathy, condemnation, or mourning,” Hamzat said.

“Justice should be measured by the dismantling of the criminal enterprise responsible and the prevention of future victims.”

Hamzat also linked security to its broader philosophy of peacebuilding, emphasizing that lasting peace requires strong institutions, economic opportunity, productive capacity, and effective governance.

As PeacePro marks its tenth year of uninterrupted indigenous operations, the organization reaffirmed its commitment to promoting policies that strengthen both democratic governance and national security.

“Democracy cannot flourish where fear reigns,” Hamzat concluded.

“On this Democracy Day, we call on all levels of government to ensure that those who terrorize Nigerians understand one thing clearly, kidnapping is not a pathway to profit. It is a pathway to inevitable failure, relentless pursuit, and ultimate destruction.”