President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday opened up on why his administration refused to negotiate with terrorists who kidnapped teachers and students in Orire community in Oyo State.

All 39 pupils and 7 teachers abducted were successfully rescued on July 10, after spending 56 days in captivity.

At a meeting with the Council of Traditional Rulers in Oyo State led by the Chairman of the Council and Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rasheed Adewolu Ladoja, President Tinubu declared that he was determined to make a statement that criminals gangs would no longer be treated with kid gloves in the country.

He said: “We refused to negotiate for ransom. These criminals wanted us to release from detention members of their criminal gangs that were already arrested. That was one of their conditions, outside of the money they’re looking for, and we said no deal. We are not going to negotiate with criminals. They committed murder, and we were ready to finish with their families, members of their own communities. They grew up somewhere.”

Tinubu, who identified the influx of bandits from West African region into the country through porous borders as complicating the security challenge, told the Olubadan and other traditional rulers on his entourage that lessons have been learnt which informed the restructuring of security architecture, the push for State Police and provision for forest guards.

He also indicted serving governors whom he noted have refused to give the needed priority to security of lives and property in their domains in spite of huge allocation they get monthly from the Federation Account.

“Some of them that are non-Nigerians, you know, you see the problem of insecurity in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger Republic, is adding more fuel to our challenges. In fact, that is why we must enhance the capacity of the forest guards as well as create the state police. “

“And you have governed before as the governor. You need to help us communicate to these governors. Today, the economy of operation is high. But the money that I’m pushing to the states, if you had it during your own time or during my time, it would have been different.

“They are taking four to five times their money. Nobody is borrowing money to pay salaries now. Pensioners are receiving their pay, and they ( governors) should do more to instead of fly over where there is no numeric traffic, build roads and arteries network to really enhance the quality of life and the accessibility of the security agencies to penetrate those areas.”

Tinubu, who thanked the traditional rulers for the visit further revealed that he would soon initiate regular discussions with traditional rulers to seek their supports on how to deal with security challenges across the country.

“I will be calling meetings of so many of you traditional leaders to listen to you, and offer some suggestions, and throughout the country, I’ll do that. To find time to listen to them. The immediate challenge is monumental. It’s not an easy job, but to me, I asked for the job and I got it. “You gave me the support, and I got to do it. I accept the asset and liability of my predecessor, so that’s the challenge of today. “

Earlier in his remarks, the Olubadan commended President Tinubu and his Service Chiefs for the success recorded in securing the release of the abducted teachers and indigent.

He said; “When we heard about the kidnapping, we were worried. People were asking, what was the FG doing, what was Oyo State government doing. We now found out that… “We want to thank your security people, through you, you have made a turning point on the issue of kidnapping in Nigeria. The fact that you didn’t pay ransom, the fact that you stood your ground, shows that we now have a government that knows what it is doing.

“Mr. President, we can’t thank you enough for that feat. It was a big feat, because the people of Oyo State have said, is this going to become another Chibok? Is it going to be a perennial issue but as I said, it has now brought a turning point in the history of kidnapping in Nigeria.

“People now know that they now have a president who will not negotiate from a position of weakness with any kidnapper .”

The Olubadan further appealed to President Tinubu to ensure that the forests was never abandoned, as he cautioned that the terrorists could still return to use it as hideout for their nefarious activities.

“We thank you and we are really very grateful. But let me also advise on behalf of my colleagues that you shouldn’t abandon that forest. You have been able to send away all the kidnappers that were threats to lives and property, you have succeeded in sending them out of the place but please let us have the presence of the security agencies there so that they won’t regroup there again. That’s a forest that extends from Oyo to Niger state. So, if you are able to secure the place, it means that Oyo state is secured. We thank you for that feat and we hope that our wish that the forests should not be abandoned so that they don’t regroup again.

“Secondly, we have looked at the infrastructural projects coming to Oyo State. I don’t think we have had it so good before. We hope that by the time you complete your second term, the decay in infrastructure would be a thing of the past. All of us know that Ibafan- Ife has been a perennial problem but the concrete you are putting there, the decay will be a thing of thr past.

Amongst the traditional rulers who accompanied the Olubadan were the Olugbon of Orile Igbon, Oba Francis Olusola Alao and Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Sefiu Olawale Oyebola Adeyeri III. (Tribune News)