Kwankwaso: “We Will Sit Down and Talk With Terrorists” if Elected With Peter Obi in 2027

Former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has said that if he and Peter Obi are elected in the 2027 presidential election, their administration would pursue a multi-pronged strategy to address insecurity, including engaging terrorists and other criminal groups in dialogue while maintaining the use of security forces where necessary.

Kwankwaso made the remarks while discussing Nigeria’s security challenges, arguing that lasting peace requires both stronger public cooperation with security agencies and efforts to discourage those involved in criminal activities from continuing violence. His comments have generated debate over the role of dialogue in addressing terrorism and other security threats.

Kwankwaso Advocates Community Trust and Dialogue

According to Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, many communities affected by insecurity already possess valuable information about those responsible for attacks, including their identities and locations.
“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. They know the locations, they know the names of all those involved,” he said.

Kwankwaso argued that many residents are reluctant to cooperate with security agencies because of previous experiences in which they felt unprotected after providing information.
He said rebuilding public confidence would encourage citizens to share intelligence that could help security agencies prevent attacks and dismantle criminal networks.

Dialogue and Military Action Should Go Together, Says Kwankwaso

Explaining his proposed approach, Kwankwaso said his administration would be prepared to engage terrorists and other criminals in discussions aimed at persuading them 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 to discourage their action. So, we will have talks with the terrorists, we will talk and sit down with them, we will talk to everybody,” he said.
However, he stressed that dialogue would not replace security operations, adding that the military and other security agencies would continue to play a critical role whenever force becomes necessary.
“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.

Security Strategy Likely to Fuel Political Debate

Kwankwaso’s remarks have added another dimension to discussions ahead of the 2027 general election, where insecurity is expected to remain one of the defining campaign issues. While some analysts argue that dialogue can complement security operations in resolving certain conflicts, others believe negotiations with terrorist groups require careful consideration and must not undermine justice, accountability or the rule of law.

As political parties continue to present their ideas for addressing Nigeria’s security challenges, OGM News NG will monitor reactions from government officials, opposition leaders, security experts and the public as the debate over the country’s future security strategy unfolds.