Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has warned the Federal Government and state governments against negotiating with terrorists and bandits, saying such actions violate Nigeria’s anti-terrorism laws and could attract severe punishment.
Falana said public officials involved in meetings and agreements with terrorist groups risk facing prosecution and a jail term of not less than 20 years if found guilty under the law.
He gave the warning while delivering the keynote address at the Second Annual General Meeting of Amnesty International Nigeria held in Abuja on Friday, June 13, 2026.
The senior lawyer expressed concern over what he described as the growing practice of government authorities engaging in discussions with armed groups responsible for terror attacks across the country. According to him, officials at both the federal and state levels have been holding meetings with terrorists and bandits in the name of securing peace.
Falana said it had become public knowledge that some of these negotiations had resulted in thousands of so-called repentant criminals being pardoned and rewarded with cash gifts whose amounts were never disclosed to Nigerians.
He argued that such actions undermine the country’s legal framework designed to combat terrorism and send the wrong message to victims of violent attacks.
“It is public knowledge that officials of the Federal Government and some State Governments have been holding meetings and negotiating with terrorists and bandits,” Falana said. “This has led to thousands of repentant criminals being forgiven and given cash gifts of undisclosed sums of money.”
Nigeria has battled insecurity for more than a decade, with Boko Haram insurgents, armed bandits and other criminal groups carrying out attacks that have claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions of people, especially in the North-East and North-West.
In response to the worsening security situation, some state governments have, at different times, adopted dialogue and amnesty programs aimed at persuading fighters to surrender their weapons and embrace peace. Supporters of such initiatives argue that negotiations can reduce violence and save lives.
However, critics insist that rewarding armed groups encourages criminality and weakens the rule of law.
Falana aligned himself with the latter position, insisting that individuals involved in terrorism should face justice rather than receive benefits from the state.
He described Boko Haram as a “satanic” organisation and stressed that it had already been outlawed under Nigeria’s Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act.
According to him, the law is clear on how members of proscribed organisations and those who support them should be treated.
“The satanic Boko Haram sect and similar bodies have been proscribed under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act,” he said. “Their members and allies shall be prosecuted and not pampered and forgiven by the Nigerian State.”
To support his argument, Falana cited Section 22 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act. He said the provision criminalises participation in meetings connected with terrorist groups and imposes stiff penalties on offenders.
Quoting the law, he explained that any person who knowingly arranges, manages or participates in a meeting linked to terrorism commits an offence.
The same provision, he noted, applies to individuals who provide logistics, equipment, information, facilities or any form of support for activities connected to terrorist organisations.
Falana further stated that attending meetings intended to support a proscribed group or advance its objectives also amounts to an offence under the Act.
He pointed out that anyone convicted under the section is liable to imprisonment for a term of at least 20 years.
The remarks are likely to reignite debate over the government’s approach to tackling insecurity.
Over the years, authorities have faced pressure to explore all available options to end killings, kidnappings and attacks on communities. While military operations have continued, some governors have defended dialogue with bandits as a practical strategy to restore peace in troubled areas.
Yet many Nigerians, including victims of terrorist attacks, have questioned the wisdom of granting amnesty packages and financial incentives to individuals accused of serious crimes while law-abiding citizens struggle with economic hardship.
Falana’s intervention adds a legal dimension to the controversy by suggesting that officials involved in such negotiations may themselves be violating the very laws enacted to combat terrorism.
He urged authorities to uphold the rule of law and ensure that those responsible for acts of terror are brought before the courts.
According to him, Nigeria cannot effectively defeat terrorism if individuals accused of grave crimes are rewarded instead of being prosecuted.