The Federal Government of Nigeria has delivered an unyielding message to non-state armed groups and international security stakeholders, reaffirming that the administration will not negotiate with insurgents, as the only language terrorists comprehend is complete military defeat.
​The declaration was made on Sunday, August 30, 2026, by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, on the sidelines of the Extraordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Luanda, Angola.
​Speaking during a press engagement at the summit, Ambassador Ojukwu emphasized that the Nigerian delegation, led by Vice President Kashim Shettima, representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is asserting a decisive security policy on the continental stage.
​”You cannot negotiate with terrorists,” Ojukwu said. “They do not understand negotiation or mediation; you cannot appeal to their reason, compassion, or conscience. The only language terrorists understand is the language of defeat, and this is what Nigeria intends to make clear.”
​The Minister noted that Nigeria’s campaign against violent extremism is not being handled with “kid gloves,” pointing to military pressure and cross-border cooperation as the cornerstone of the national security strategy.
​Key deliberations at the summit involve Cutting off Terror Financing; Ambassador Ojukwu highlighted illicit financial flows as one of the largest obstacles to defeating insurgency in Africa, urging AU member states to dismantle shadow financial networks that facilitate arms procurement and youth recruitment.
Nigeria reiterated its call for robust continental security funding, pushing for the recapitalization of the AU Peace Fund from $405 million to $1 billion to finance joint peacekeeping and counter-insurgency operations.
The delegation urged regional bodies to abandon soft-touch dialogue or ransom payments, which only serve to re-fund extremist networks.
​The high-level diplomatic gathering in Luanda brought together African leaders, defense ministers, and security chiefs to harmonize strategies against rising threats, illegal arms proliferation, and violent extremism across the continent.
