Katsina Government Opens Peace Talks With Armed Bandits To End Years Of Violence

The Katsina State Government has begun a peace dialogue with armed bandits in Kakumi town, Bakori Local Government Area, as part of renewed efforts to restore lasting peace in the troubled parts of the state.

The meeting, which started on Sunday, reportedly involved representatives from at least five local government areas Bakori, Kankara, Funtua, Kafur, and Malumfashi all of which have experienced recurring bandit attacks in recent years.

The dialogue aims to reach a ceasefire agreement and secure commitments from the armed groups to stop hostilities across affected communities.

However, details of the discussions remain unclear.

Katsina, one of the states worst affected by banditry in Nigeria’s northwest, has previously experimented with peace accords that yielded mixed results.

Sahara Reporters reported that despite the refusal of some bandits to surrender their weapons or renounce criminal activities after signing a peace pact with the state government, the Chairman of Sabuwa Local Government Area, Engr. Sagir Tanimu, recently attended the wedding ceremony of children belonging to some of the bandits.

The event, held a few weeks after the peace agreement, was reportedly part of ongoing reconciliation efforts between the government and bandit groups operating in the region.

It was also gathered that Tanimu joined Fulani residents in the forest for the wedding in Kadawan Dandume village, a community recently reconciled with local authorities after years of violent clashes.

Those who accompanied the council chairman to the ceremony included the Emirate’s representative, Alhaji Ibrahim Bello Kogo—the Prince of Kogo Emirate—and the District Head of Sabuwa.

Meanwhile, residents have cautioned that genuine reconciliation can only occur when the armed groups publicly renounce violence and surrender their weapons.

Source: Informationng