KATSINA, Nigeria — At least 20 out of Katsina State’s 34 local government areas have entered into a controversial peace accord with armed bandit groups, even as fresh attacks in some of the same communities cast doubt on how long the truce can hold.
The agreement was reached at a closed-door meeting attended by council chairmen and traditional rulers from the affected LGAs. Bandit representatives reportedly rode to the venue on motorcycles, fired shots into the air in a show of force and departed less than an hour later. Journalists were barred from filming or recording the proceedings, with officials citing “security sensitivities”.
According to accounts of the meeting, the bandits demanded the release of their detained members across the state and, in return, pledged to free civilians held in their camps. Local authorities were said to have agreed only to “facilitate” any releases through security agencies and correctional facilities, rather than grant blanket amnesty.
Despite the pact, fear and uncertainty remain widespread. Residents in some of the LGAs covered by the accord report that attacks and threats have continued, fueling scepticism about the sincerity of the gunmen.
“My only hope is for us to regain our freedom from these bandits. Let there be peace,” one resident said, recalling hundreds killed and livelihoods destroyed over recent years. Another called for “constant consultation with the bandits” and strong committees to monitor and review the deal so it does not collapse at the first misunderstanding. A third resident voiced cautious optimism that the ceasefire could at least allow farmers to harvest their crops after seasons of economic ruin.
The accord is the latest in a series of local peace initiatives in Katsina and neighbouring states, where authorities have periodically turned to dialogue after years of failed military offensives. In recent months, bandit leaders in Katsina have released dozens of hostages — including at least 45 captives freed in Bakori and 70 in an earlier deal — citing ongoing negotiations with community leaders.
But rights advocates warn that such arrangements risk entrenching impunity. A recent investigation into Katsina’s earlier peace deals found that victims of mass killings and kidnappings rarely see justice, even as notorious commanders use ceasefires to regroup or rearm.
Bandit violence has devastated Katsina, from repeated rural raids to high-profile atrocities such as the August 2025 mosque attack in Malumfashi LGA, where at least 17 worshippers were killed during dawn prayers.
For now, many rural families say they are willing to give the new agreement a chance — not out of trust, but because any respite, however fragile, may be the only way to stay on their land, tend their fields and “start a new life” after years of terror.
