Katsina State Governor, Dr Dikko Radda, has clarified that recent peace talks with bandits in parts of the state were initiated solely by local communities and not sanctioned as official government policy.
Speaking at the passing-out parade of the third batch of the Community Watch Corps (CWC), Governor Radda reiterated his administration’s firm stance against negotiating with criminal elements. However, he acknowledged that community-led peace efforts—where residents engage directly with repentant bandits—are being supported as part of broader security solutions.
“Our administration’s stance remains clear: we do not negotiate with bandits as a matter of government policy,” Radda stated. “However, when communities themselves take the initiative to pursue peace with those who have terrorised them, and when bandits genuinely repent and lay down their arms, we support such grassroots efforts.”
He described the approach as the “Katsina Model,” a community-driven framework that empowers locals to broker peace with armed groups willing to surrender. The model, he said, reflects the reality on the ground and the need for pragmatic solutions to persistent insecurity.
Katsina has been one of the hardest-hit states in Nigeria’s northwest, with rural communities suffering repeated attacks, mass displacement, and loss of livelihoods due to bandit violence.
Presidential Pardon Sparks Outrage Over Inclusion of Bandits and Terrorists
Meanwhile, a senior academic at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Professor Toba Alabi, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s recent decision to grant pardons to 175 convicted individuals, including some linked to terrorism and banditry.
While acknowledging the constitutional legitimacy of the President’s prerogative of mercy, Professor Alabi expressed deep concern over the inclusion of Boko Haram members and notorious bandits among the beneficiaries.
“Whilst the President’s constitutional right to grant pardons is not in question,” Alabi said, “extending such mercy to Boko Haram killers and notorious bandits sends the wrong message and undermines our collective efforts to combat terrorism and banditry.”
The controversial pardon has triggered widespread debate, with civil society organisations, security experts, and victims’ groups warning that such clemency could embolden criminal networks and weaken public trust in counter-insurgency operations.
The inclusion of individuals convicted for drug trafficking, fraud, and murder has also raised eyebrows, though many observers agree that the most troubling aspect is the pardon of those involved in violent crimes against the state.
