Falana: Negotiating With Terrorists Risks 20-Year Jail Term

Femi Falana warns FG: negotiating with terrorists breaches Nigeria's anti-terror law and attracts at least 20 years in jail.

Femi Falana speaking at Amnesty International meeting in Abuja warning FG against negotiating with terrorists

Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has told the Federal Government and state governors to stop holding peace talks with terrorists and bandits.

He said the practice is not just wrong, it is a crime under Nigerian law.

Falana spoke on Friday in Abuja while delivering the keynote at the Amnesty International Second Annual General Meeting. The theme of his address was "Rising Under Pressure - Human Rights in an era of insecurity, Economic Strain & Democratic Uncertainty".

He did not mince words. According to him, it is now common knowledge that officials at both federal and state levels meet terrorists, offer them pardon, and pay them cash rewards that are never declared publicly.

Falana reminded the audience that groups like Boko Haram have been proscribed under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act. He described them as a "satanic" sect that should face trial, not pampering.

He then read out the law. Section 22 of the Act, he said, makes it an offence for anyone who knowingly arranges, attends, or supports a meeting connected to terrorism. The punishment is clear: at least 20 years in prison on conviction.

The senior advocate argued that this provision covers government officials too. Attending a negotiation, providing logistics, or offering incentives to a proscribed group falls under the same offence, he warned.

Falana also tackled the issue of presidential pardon. He said state governors have no power to forgive terrorists and bandits. Only the Attorney-General of the Federation can prosecute them, and only after a court has sentenced them to at least 20 years can the President consider mercy.

Even then, he cautioned President Bola Tinubu to think twice. Granting pardon to people involved in mass abductions, rape of schoolgirls, beheadings, and burning of schools is not in the interest of national defence, public safety, or public morality.

His message was directed at the recent wave of "repentant" bandit programmes in the North-West and North-Central. Falana said forgiving thousands of fighters and giving them stipends sends the wrong signal to victims and to security forces risking their lives.

He called the practice illegal and warned that any official who continues could end up in court themselves.

Falana's position aligns with growing pressure from rights groups and former lawmakers who say negotiation emboldens criminal networks. The Christian Association of Nigeria and several security analysts have made similar calls in recent months.

The Federal Government is yet to respond to Falana's remarks. But with terrorism trials already securing long sentences — over 200 suspects jailed between 20 and 70 years in the last phase — the lawyer insists the law should be applied evenly, from the foot soldier to the government negotiator.