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From Agaju Madugba, Katsina
The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has rubbished the justification offered by the Katsina State government for facilitating the release of about 70 suspected and convicted bandits under the pretext of sustaining the so-called peace deals reportedly reached with a cross section of local government authorities.
“Bandits are terrorists who have murdered citizens, razed communities, raped women, displaced families and destabilised rural economies,” the civil society coalition said in a statement yesterday.
The group noted further that “treating them as equal negotiating partners without first breaking their capacity to inflict violence undermines the authority of the state.”
The statement signed by the group’s National Coordinator, Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi, said that: “While CNG recognises the urgent need to end the bloodshed, kidnappings, and destruction that have plagued Katsina State and the wider North-West, we maintain that peace built on appeasement, judicial compromise, and concession to violent criminals is neither sustainable nor just.
“The comparison drawn by the Katsina State Government between the release of bandits and wartime prisoner exchanges is deeply flawed, misleading, and dangerous.
“Nigeria is not engaged in a conventional war with a recognised adversary bound by rules of engagement.
“The CNG is not opposed to dialogue or reintegration in principle. However, history and basic security logic are clear that negotiations with violent groups must only take place after the state has demonstrated overwhelming capacity to defeat them. Peace must be negotiated from a position of strength, not weakness.
“What is unfolding in Katsina suggests the reverse, suspects facing trial are being released as preconditions for peace, judicial processes appear subordinated to executive bargaining, and communities continue to experience renewed attacks even as concessions are made.
“This approach sends a dangerous signal that violence pays, justice is negotiable, and the state lacks capacity to resolve the matter.
“Equally troubling is the silence of the government on the fate of victims and their families.
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“Thousands of citizens have lost loved ones to bandit attacks. Homes were burnt, farms destroyed, and entire communities displaced.
“Many victims and witnesses risked their lives to cooperate with law enforcement and testify in court. Releasing suspects or convicts without transparent truth-telling, judicial closure, restitution, and meaningful compensation amounts to a betrayal of these victims and a grave injustice to society.
“Peace that ignores justice does not heal; it deepens fear, resentment and insecurity.
“The timing of this decision further raises serious concerns. The proposed release of bandits is coming amid a resurgence of attacks and killings in parts of Katsina State, including Malumfashi Local Government Area. This reality alone exposes the fragility and inconsistency of the peace deals being defended.
“If the agreements are effective, communities should not still be under siege. If bandits are truly repentant, violence should not persist. These contradictions demand honest answers.
“The CNG also calls on the Federal Government and all relevant security agencies, including the Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, and other intelligence and law-enforcement bodies, to urgently intensify and coordinate their efforts to tackle banditry and terrorism in across the North.
“The CNG therefore calls on the Katsina State government to immediately suspend any plans to release suspected or convicted bandits under peace arrangements and to fully respect judicial processes, including ongoing trials and sentences.
“We urge the adoption of a security first strategy that decisively degrades the operational capacity of bandits before any dialogue is contemplated.
“Where engagement is eventually considered, it must be transparent, accountable, and anchored on disarmament, restitution, deradicalization, and long-term monitoring, with victims placed at the centre of the process.
“Peace is not achieved by surrendering the rule of law. Security is not built by rewarding violence. Justice is not optional.
“Northern Nigeria deserves peace with dignity, security with justice, and leadership that governs with courage and moral clarity. Governments must negotiate from a position of strength, legitimacy, and accountability, not fear and expediency.”
