The Northern Elders for Peace and Development, has thrown his weight behind President Muhammadu Buhari’s caution against paying ransom to bandits.

The elders urged Northern governors to adopt Buhari’s stance not to pay ransom to bandits.

In a statement by their National Coordinator, Engr. Zana Goni, the elders also warned against granting amnesty to terrorists.

The group pointed out that paying ransom and negotiation with bandits were two major ingredients behind the increased activities of banditry and terrorism in the country.

According to the elders, money meant for amnesty and negotiation should be used in procuring technologies that would aid the fight against insecurity.

The Northern elders appealled to all the Northern governors “to adopt Mr President’s position on no negotiation and amnesty for the bandits.

“We advise that they should use the money for the supposed amnesty programme, ransom and negotiations to acquire state-of-the-art technology with a view to ending insecurity on our land once and for all.”