Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has cautioned the Federal Government and state governments against negotiating with terrorists and bandits, insisting that such actions are illegal under Nigerian law.
Falana made the remarks while delivering the keynote address at the Second Annual General Meeting of Amnesty International held in Abuja on June 13, 2026.
According to him, it is widely known that some federal and state officials have engaged in meetings and negotiations with terrorists and armed bandits, resulting in the pardon of thousands of so-called repentant criminals and the payment of undisclosed cash rewards to them.
The senior lawyer described the practice as a violation of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, stressing that members of the proscribed Boko Haram sect and similar groups should face prosecution rather than receive government incentives.
“The satanic Boko Haram sect and similar bodies have been proscribed under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act. Their members and allies shall be prosecuted and not pampered and forgiven by the Nigerian State,” Falana said.
He further cited Section 22 of the Act, which criminalises participation in meetings or activities connected to terrorist groups, as well as providing logistics, information or facilities to such organisations.
According to the provision, anyone found guilty of knowingly supporting or facilitating activities linked to a proscribed terrorist group is liable to a minimum prison sentence of 20 years upon conviction.
Falana’s comments come amid ongoing debates over the government’s approach to tackling insecurity and the reintegration of repentant insurgents and bandits across parts of the country.