Bashir Kurfi, a security analyst and Convener of the Katsina Security Community Initiative, on Tuesday, June 30, criticised ongoing peace negotiations between government authorities and armed groups in northern Nigeria, describing the process as “a tragedy” that allows criminal groups to dictate terms and weakens the country’s security architecture.

Kurfi made the remarks during an interview with journalists in Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State, where he stated that genuine peace processes require organisation, accountability, and mutual commitment standards, but alleged that the current negotiations fail to meet those standards because armed groups dictate the venue, conditions and conduct of meetings.

“These so-called peace agreements are a tragedy,” Kurfi said.

He alleged that government officials and community leaders are often required to travel unarmed to forest hideouts chosen by the armed groups, who attend the meetings carrying weapons, an arrangement he said undermines the credibility of the process.

Kurfi cited the killing of a senior police officer in Katsina State. He alleged that a notorious bandit leader known as Jankari celebrated the officer’s death and later attended a peace meeting wearing the slain officer’s police uniform, describing the incident as provocative and disrespectful to Nigeria’s security institutions.

“After killing the commissioner of police, they celebrated his death, and one of the bandit leaders wore his uniform. The following day, the same individual attended a peace meeting with government officials wearing that uniform. A genuine peace process should never reopen such wounds,” he said.

Kurfi questioned the effectiveness of Nigeria’s intelligence and security agencies, arguing that criminal leaders should be traceable and apprehended despite operating from remote forest locations.

He expressed concern over what he described as the spread of bandit activities into southern parts of the country, particularly around mining communities, where he alleged the groups find more favourable conditions to operate.

The security expert also alleged a strong link between illegal mining and banditry, claiming that many mining sites located deep inside forests, including some employing foreign nationals, are seldomly attacked by armed groups, a situation he said raises questions about possible collaboration.

Kurfi further claimed that some mining communities have evolved into centres for illegal mining, drug abuse, prostitution and other illicit commercial activities, creating support networks that enable criminal groups to flourish.

He urged the Federal Government and security agencies to adopt a broader strategy for tackling insecurity by dismantling the economic and social structures sustaining criminal networks, rather than relying primarily on military operations or peace negotiations.

According to Kurfi, Nigeria’s security challenges cannot be effectively resolved without addressing the structural conditions that continue to fuel banditry and other forms of organised crime.

“These are realities the country must confront. A serious nation should examine the implications of these developments instead of ignoring the contradictions within the system,” he declared.