Northern groups fault Katsina over release of bandits for peace deals

By Abubakar Yunusa

The Coalition of Northern Groups has condemned the Katsina State Government’s decision to facilitate the release of about 70 suspected and convicted bandits, describing it as dangerous and unjust.

The coalition said the move, justified by the state government as part of a peace deal, undermines justice, weakens security efforts and erodes the authority of the state.

In a statement on Tuesday, the National Coordinator of the group, Comrade Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi, said while the desire to end killings, kidnappings and destruction in Katsina and the wider North-West was understandable, peace built on appeasement was neither sustainable nor just.

Charanchi faulted the government’s comparison of the release of bandits to wartime prisoner exchanges, calling it “deeply flawed, misleading and dangerous”.

He said Nigeria was not engaged in a conventional war with a recognised enemy, stressing that bandits were criminal terrorists who had murdered citizens, razed communities, raped women and displaced families.

“Treating them as equal negotiating partners without first breaking their capacity to inflict violence undermines the authority of the state,” he said.

The coalition said it was not opposed to dialogue or reintegration in principle, but insisted that negotiations with violent groups must only occur after the state had demonstrated overwhelming capacity to defeat them.

According to the group, what is playing out in Katsina suggests the opposite, with suspects facing trial allegedly being released as conditions for peace, while communities continue to suffer fresh attacks.

It warned that such actions send a signal that violence pays, justice is negotiable and the state lacks resolve.

Charanchi also expressed concern over what he described as the government’s silence on the plight of victims and their families, many of whom lost loved ones, homes and livelihoods to bandit attacks.

He said releasing suspects or convicts without transparent judicial closure, restitution and compensation amounted to a betrayal of victims.

The coalition noted that the proposed release was coming amid renewed attacks in parts of Katsina State, including Malumfashi Local Government Area, raising questions about the credibility of the peace deals.

It called on the Federal Government and security agencies to intensify and better coordinate efforts against banditry across Northern Nigeria.

The group urged the Katsina State Government to suspend any plan to release bandits under peace arrangements and to respect ongoing judicial processes.

It advocated a security-first approach, insisting that any future engagement must be transparent, accountable and centred on disarmament, restitution and justice for victims.