Tinubu says government told kidnappers 'no deal' on releasing arrested terrorists

President Tinubu has finally confirmed what many of us suspected all along about the Oyo school abduction. He told the Olubadan of Ibadan and the Oyo Council of Obas yesterday that the terrorists who took those Oriire schoolchildren and teachers demanded two things: release of their arrested members and ransom. And the government simply said no deal.

According to the President, and I am quoting him directly here, he said "We said no deal, and we won't negotiate with criminals. They committed murder by killing one of the teachers, and we were ready to 'finish' with members of their families." He also mentioned that some of these abductors are non-Nigerians, pointing to the spillover from the instability in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger Republic.

Now the victims were rescued on July 10 by security operatives, which is good news. But I keep thinking about that teacher they killed. The government refused to negotiate and that cost a life. Was that the right call? Because if we start negotiating with every criminal element in this country, where does it end? But at the same time, a teacher is dead and those children spent nearly two months in captivity. What is the balance here?