Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A top human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has issued a strong warning to the Federal Government and state governors, declaring that any official who knowingly participates in meetings with terrorists or bandits is committing a criminal offence punishable by a minimum of 20 years in prison. Citing the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, Falana argued that the practice of negotiating with and financially rewarding outlawed groups is not only illegal but also undermines national security and the rule of law.
Speaking on Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Abuja while delivering the keynote address at the Second Annual General Meeting of Amnesty International Nigeria, Falana noted that government officials at both federal and state levels have been engaging in what he described as “illegal” meetings and negotiations with bandits and terrorists. According to reports by Vanguard Newspaper, Daily Post and several other media outlets, Falana claimed that such engagements have led to thousands of self-styled “repentant” criminals being pardoned and even receiving cash rewards of undisclosed sums.
The legal luminary insisted that the continued negotiations with insurgents violate the clear provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, which outlaws Boko Haram and all related groups. “Since 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 was quoted as saying by Vanguard. He specifically referenced Section 22 of the Act, which states that a person who knowingly organizes, manages, assists in, or participates in any meeting or activity connected to a terrorist group commits an offence. The provision also criminalizes the provision of logistics, equipment, information, or attendance at any meeting that supports a proscribed entity. According to the section, anyone found guilty is liable upon conviction to a term of imprisonment of at least 20 years.
Falana further argued that state governors do not possess the constitutional authority to grant pardon to individuals accused of terrorism-related offences. He explained that the power to grant mercy rests solely with the President after a person has been duly convicted and sentenced, and that even then, such clemency must be exercised with extreme caution, considering the nature of the crimes. “The President must bear in mind that it is not in the interest of national defence, public safety, public order or public morality to grant pardon to terrorists and bandits who had engaged in the abduction of citizens including school children, gang rape of women and school girls, decapitation or beheading of victims of abduction, burning of schools,” Falana said.
Falana’s warning comes at a time of heightened political tension, as federal and state administrations continue to face severe criticism over the worsening insecurity across the North-West and North-Central zones. The legal community has largely backed Falana’s position, although no official response has yet been issued by the Attorney-General of the Federation or the Nigeria Police Force. As the nation debates the effectiveness of military operations versus dialogue with insurgents, the prominent lawyer has drawn a firm legal line: negotiating with terrorists is a felony, not a policy option.
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