*Faults Payment As A Mean To Tackle Banditry
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has prayed for the emergence of leaders that will bring about new federation in Nigeria.
The former President faulted the choice of payment of ransom adopted by Federal Government as a means to deal with kidnappers and banditry.
Obasanjo stressed the need to develop strategies to deal heavily with terrorists and kidnappers.
The elder statesman made the recommendation on Wednesday when he received members of the Tiv Professionals Group (TPG) led by Professor Zacharys Gundu, at his residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Obasanjo warned that warned that the country may slide into what he described as ground dissolution if federal government believes that payment of ransom is still an option.
“Some people are still reaching out and hoping that lives can still be saved; but a situation whereby anybody thinks paying ransom is the way out, that person is folly. He is a folly.
“This is because when you pay ransom, you encourage; but if you are not going to pay ransom, you must have the means to deal heavily with it. You must have the stick to deal with it.
“Government has always paid ransom. Not only this government, even during Goodluck Jonathan administration. They paid ransom, but they denied it.”
The former president, who condemned the security challenges in the country, insisted that 2023 must mark a watershed for Nigeria.
“The year 2023 should give us the beginning of the emergence of a new federation. Feeling that the rot continues, then we are going to be sliding back to a ground dissolution. God forbid,” Obasanjo said.
