The Presidency has issued a stern warning that non-state actors causing hardship, misery, violence and hostage situations would face consequences for their actions.

President Bola Tinubu, who delivered the keynote address at a two-day summit organised by the Alliance for Yoruba Democratic Movement (AYDM), a coalition of 130 pan-Yoruba-Itsekiri groups, in Ikeja, Lagos, addressed the role of non-state actors in Nigeria’s political landscape.

The president, represented by Mr. Tunde Rahman, senior special assistant on media, said non-state actors responsible for inflicting suffering, injury, and hostage-taking should be condemned.

“Those who use force to commit evil and cause chaos, including bandits, kidnappers, militia groups, and armed robbers, do not represent us and should face the full force of the law.”

He added that the groups must be eradicated.

Conversely, Rahman acknowledged that some non-state actors contribute positively, such as those protecting pipelines from vandalism.

He said: “While some criticise their actions, we must recognise their positive contributions.”

On Nigeria’s economic situation, Rahman acknowledged the challenges but expressed optimism of gradual improvement.

He cited the National Bureau of Statistics’ report that Nigeria’s headline inflation rate decreased to 33.4 per cent in July 2024 from 34.19 per cent the previous month, suggesting progress.

“Our economic indicators are showing improvement,” he said, highlighting that inflation is declining and the Central Bank of Nigeria has stabilised the financial sector.

Chairman on the occasion, Adewale Adeoye, said the summit was coming at a time when the country was facing a very difficult and unpredictable future and when the three main indices of development, notably food, human and environmental security and leadership with good conscience that brings hope to the long suffering people were threatened.

He, however, cautioned that democracy cannot just be destroyed because of its errors, saying there was the need to confront the “challenges and work towards improving the economic and social conditions of our people.”

This was just as he decried the call for subversion of democracy, describing such as irresponsible and, therefore, “a major reason non-state actors must come together speak with one voice against such self-serving demand.

“Supporting democracy is not about those in power, but about the right of the people to choose, question and democratically engage their leaders. I am aware that the process of even choosing the right leaders by the people in Nigeria is flawed, nevertheless, it does not, in any way, justify the call for military intervention in Nigeria,” he said.

Adeoye insisted Nigeria cannot continue to go this way, saying it must address the hydra-headed problem of food scarcity, insecurity, and leadership deficit.

According to him, “the best way to lay the foundation for the resolution is for Nigeria to go back to the dream of the founding fathers who had opted for a country where each ethnic group would be able to develop on its own terms.

“The greatest pathway to this goal is to restructure Nigeria to stem the violent clashes of civilisations.”

Kudu Abubakar representing Arewa community, in his remark, described democracy as a fraud being perpetrated by some people from the North and South for their own selfish interest, declaring pointedly that democracy as practised by people in power had damaged the country.

Abubakar hailed President Tinubu, as then governor of Lagos State over his achievements which, he said, made him and others throw support for his election into office.

“That does not mean we should not point out where he has failed,” he said.

He particularly decried the security situation in the country, recalling that that was not the situation when he was growing up and the community was able to identify security threats and address such, but stopped short of calling for establishment of a state police.

“Democracy has damaged everything in the country, while we were growing up, we were open to each other. We could easily identify strange people in our communities, but, now, insecurity is ravaging the land.

“Let us tell ourselves the truth, we fought for this democracy under the military, but how many of us that fought for democracy are enjoying it now. We love Tinubu, we fought for his victory, but we cannot reach him again,” he said.

Also, Dare Adesope, decried high level insecurity in the South West region, even as he noted that the Yoruba that regarded farming as their mainstay could not go to farm as they could have loved to do due to the menace.

He, however, urged political leaders in the country to work towards promoting good leadership for the betterment of Nigeria and its people.