Prominent socio-political groups, religious leaders and security experts have condemned the Katsina State Government’s plan to release 70 suspected bandits under a renewed peace arrangement, describing the move as reckless and a threat to national security.
Groups including Afenifere, the Arewa Consultative Forum, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Middle Belt Forum and the Coalition of Northern Groups warned that granting amnesty to armed criminals undermines justice and emboldens violence, especially in a state that has lost more than 1,500 civilians to bandit attacks since 2021.
Afenifere’s Organising Secretary, Abagun Omololu, said the proposal amounted to dangerous appeasement. “Releasing bandits without accountability emboldens criminality and undermines the rule of law. This is not peace-building; it is the redistribution of insecurity,” he said, insisting that only the Federal Government has the authority to negotiate with terrorists.
The ACF also cautioned against the move, with its spokesperson, Prof. Tukur Muhammad-Baba, warning that criminals could interpret the release as weakness. “Justice for victims must remain central. Otherwise, bandits may feel invincible and return to crime,” he said.
In Katsina, religious and community leaders expressed fears of reprisals. A ward head in the Modoji area, Aminu Jafaru, said released bandits could target informants and traditional leaders. “Our people believe they will not stop their nefarious activities,” he said, while youth leaders threatened legal action if the plan proceeds.
The Coalition of Northern Groups described the proposed amnesty as “capitulation disguised as peace-building,” arguing that bandits are criminal terrorists, not legitimate parties to wartime prisoner exchanges. “Peace built on concessions to violence is neither sustainable nor just,” the group said.
Defending the policy, the state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr Nasir Mu’azu Danmusa, said the release was part of a community-driven peace deal that had led to the freedom of about 1,000 abducted persons. He likened it to prisoner exchanges in past conflicts and insisted it did not violate the law.
However, critics insist the plan ignores victims and weakens the state’s authority. The Middle Belt Forum and Ohanaeze Ndigbo warned that releasing bandits without prosecution could fuel further violence beyond Katsina, urging the Federal Government to intervene before the situation escalates.
