Follow Us on Google
The recent move by the Katsina State Government to release 70 bandits in the state is reckless and smacks of injustice. The Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs had submitted a list of 48 people accused of banditry-related offences to the Ministry of Justice. Another list containing 22 inmates already standing trial at various High Courts in the state was also submitted, to be released under the same peace arrangement.
The state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr Nasir Muazu, justified the action. According to him, the release was to consolidate a peace deal between the insecurity-ravaged communities in about 15 local government areas and ‘repentant’ bandits who were facing criminal trials. The bandits had reportedly released about 1,000 persons abducted during various operations.
The commissioner said: “The world over, everyone knows that after a war is fought, there are usually prisoner exchanges. If you take Nigeria, for example, during the civil war, many prisoners were set free and exchanged between the Nigerian side and the Biafran side.”
The commissioner misses the point here. There is no correlation between war prisoners and bandits. In war, soldiers fight to defend the territorial integrity of their country. Bandits are pure criminals who kidnap people for ransom. Sometimes, they rape and kill their victims for no just cause. Releasing them under any guise amounts to undermining the rule of law and denying their victims justice. Besides, the so-called repentance, most times, is a ruse. They use it to consolidate and launch more attacks after a while.
Between 2021 and 2025, over 1,500 civilians were reportedly killed in Katsina. In August 2025, bandits killed at least 50 people in a widespread attack on Muslim communities in Katsina. They first targeted a mosque in Unguwar Mantau town and killed 30 worshippers before killing additional 20 people and burning their homes in nearby villages.
The so-called peace deal has not stopped them from attacking communities in the state. The areas attacked after the peace deal, include Dandume, Kankara, Jibia, Faskari and Funtua. They abducted eight persons and injured 11 others in such Dandume communities as Kirijan, Unguwar Jika, Baraje, Kauran Pawa and Shugu on January 22. At Kankara, the bandits attacked a wedding motorcade in Unguwar Nagunda, killed two farmers and abducted unspecified number of wedding guests. They have attacked many other communities and abducted many people. On January 23, they killed at least four people and abducted no fewer than 12 others in communities in Kankara LGA.
The outrage expressed by many individuals and groups over the intended action of the Katsina State Government is understandable. Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Arewa Consultative Forum, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Middle Belt Forum, community and religious leaders, among others, have all condemned the plan. Afenifere described it as reckless, irresponsible and dangerous to national security. The group said any negotiation with armed groups must be led by the Federal Government through recognised security agencies.
Any peace deal that is not anchored on justice will fail. The state government must first of all acknowledge the economic, psychological, and emotional trauma wrought on the people by bandits. Government must negotiate from a position of strength, not weakness.
Israel clearly has an upper hand in its negotiation with Hamas terrorists in the Middle East for the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for the end of the Gaza War. This is how it should be. Nigeria must first subdue the bandits before ever talking of negation if at all it will be. The country once granted amnesty to so-called repentant Boko Haram terrorists. This has not stopped the evil menace.
Often, some northern leaders cite the amnesty given to Niger Delta militants by the Umaru Yar’Adua government in 2009 as a reason to release bandits. In September 2025, for instance, the Northern Elders Progressive Group (NEPG) called on Northern governors to cooperate with the Office of the National Security Adviser with the aim of pursuing dialogue with bandits.
It is imperative to note that the two scenarios are not the same. The militants fought for resource control. They were not bandits and did not kill innocent citizens in their agitation. When Yar’Adua established the Presidential Post-Amnesty Programme (PAP), the agitation stopped.
Bandits and terrorists have become more emboldened in Nigeria. They have raped women, killed thousands of citizens and collected ransom running into billions of Naira. The Katsina State Government thinks granting amnesty to such terrorists will bring peace. This is wishful thinking.
The bandits can be defeated if our security agencies are alive to their responsibilities. They need to tackle saboteurs in their midst and improve on their intelligence gathering efforts. The FG should recruit more security personnel to regain control of the security narrative. The North should emulate the South-West which floated Operation Amotekun to help in fighting bandits. The region should recruit hunters who appear to be more effective in fighting banditry because they know their terrain better. With drones and other sophisticated weapons, the Nigerian military should be able to rout the bandits and terrorists in our midst
