Prominent socio-political organisations, religious leaders, security experts and community stakeholders have expressed widespread outrage over plans by the Katsina State Government to release 70 suspected bandits as part of a renewed peace arrangement with armed groups operating in the state.
Groups including Afenifere, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), and the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) described the proposed release as reckless, dangerous and a direct threat to national security, urging the Federal Government to immediately intervene and halt the move.
Katsina State has faced persistent bandit attacks over the years, with more than 1,500 civilians reportedly killed between 2021 and 2025. The decision to approve the release of 70 suspected bandits has sparked public anger, with critics warning that it undermines justice, emboldens criminal elements and deepens insecurity.
Efforts to confirm whether the suspects had already been released proved inconclusive, as officials of the Katsina State Ministry of Justice declined to comment when approached by journalists. The government’s silence further heightened public anxiety in a state already grappling with kidnappings, killings and widespread displacement.
Defending the plan, the Katsina State Government said the move was part of a broader community-driven peace initiative aimed at securing the release of abducted persons. According to the state, over 1,000 captives have been freed through similar negotiations in at least 15 local government areas. The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr. Nasir Mu’azu Danmusa, likened the release to prisoner exchanges that occur during wartime, insisting the process did not violate any existing laws.
However, Afenifere’s Organising Secretary, Abagun Omololu, rejected the justification, describing the move as unconstitutional and a dangerous appeasement of violent criminals. He warned that state governments lack the authority to negotiate with terrorists and that freeing bandits without full disarmament and prosecution amounts to a betrayal of the state’s duty to protect lives and property.
Similarly, the Arewa Consultative Forum cautioned that releasing suspected bandits could encourage a sense of invincibility among criminal groups and weaken the authority of the state. The forum stressed that justice for victims must remain central to any security decision and questioned whether the Federal Government had been adequately consulted.
Religious and community leaders within Katsina State also opposed the plan. A religious leader in Katsina metropolis, Malam Umar Usman, said those responsible for killings and destruction should face the full wrath of the law. Community leaders warned that released bandits could target traditional rulers, security operatives and informants in revenge attacks. Youth leaders in affected communities threatened legal action should the release proceed.
The Coalition of Northern Groups described the planned amnesty as a dangerous capitulation, arguing that peace built on appeasement and judicial compromise is neither sustainable nor just. The group warned that releasing suspects facing trial sends a message that violence pays and justice is negotiable, while victims are ignored.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo leaders warned that the decision could have ripple effects across the country, noting that freed bandits could relocate to other regions to continue their criminal activities. The Middle Belt Forum also condemned the move, describing it as encouraging banditry and calling for immediate federal intervention.
Security experts echoed similar concerns. A retired Nigerian Navy officer, Commodore Omatseye Nesiama (retd.), said negotiations with violent groups should only occur after the state has demonstrated clear dominance through sustained security operations. He warned that talks conducted from a position of weakness risk worsening insecurity.
While the Katsina State Government maintains that the peace deal has brought temporary relief to affected communities, critics insist that releasing suspected bandits without justice, accountability, restitution and compensation for victims will only deepen fear, resentment and instability.
As public outrage continues to mount, pressure is growing on the Federal Government to intervene and clarify the legal, security and moral implications of the controversial plan.
