Prominent socio-political and regional organisations, including Afenifere, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Ohanaeze Ndigbo, and the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), have strongly condemned the Katsina State Government’s plan to release 70 suspected bandits as part of efforts to salvage a fragile peace deal.
Speaking to The PUNCH, the groups described the move as reckless and a serious threat to national security, urging the Federal Government to intervene and halt the release. Religious and community leaders in Katsina also voiced strong opposition, warning that the amnesty could endanger local communities.
Katsina has faced a surge in bandit attacks, with over 1,500 civilians killed between 2021 and 2025. Critics of the proposed release argue that it undermines justice and emboldens criminals, while the state claims it is a step toward consolidating peace and securing the release of abducted persons. Over 1,000 individuals have reportedly been freed through similar negotiations.
Afenifere Rejects Release
Afenifere’s Organising Secretary, Abagun Omololu, condemned the proposal as “reckless, unconstitutional, and profoundly dangerous to national security.” He emphasised that state governments lack the constitutional authority to negotiate with terrorists without full disarmament, accountability, and judicial closure.
“Bandits freed in Katsina today may resurface in neighbouring states or migrate southwards, continuing their murderous activities with renewed impunity. This is not peace-building; it is the redistribution of insecurity,” Omololu said. He insisted that only the Federal Government, through security agencies, should lead negotiations with armed groups, ensuring unconditional surrender and lawful reintegration.
ACF and Other Groups Raise Concerns
The ACF, through National Publicity Secretary Prof. Tukur Muhammad-Baba, warned that the release could embolden criminals and weaken state authority. “The danger is that they may feel invincible and return to criminality. Security is a federal responsibility, and any action must reflect strength, not weakness,” he said.
Religious and community leaders echoed the criticism. Malam Umar Usman, a religious leader in Katsina metropolis, described the release as “dangerous,” stressing that perpetrators of killings and kidnappings should face justice. Aminu Jafaru, a ward head in Modoji, warned of reprisals against local informants and leaders.
The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) also condemned the plan, arguing that treating bandits as negotiating partners without first dismantling their capacity for violence undermines the state and rewards criminality.
“Releasing suspects without truth, justice, compensation, and accountability is a betrayal of victims and communities. Peace built on appeasement is neither sustainable nor just,” CNG stated.
Katsina State Government Defends Policy
Defending the decision, Katsina State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr. Nasir Mu’azu Danmusa, said the release was part of a community-driven peace deal. He likened it to prisoner exchanges in wartime and cited similar practices in Nigeria’s history, including during the civil war and Boko Haram negotiations.
Danmusa noted that repentant bandits had already released over 1,000 abducted persons in various local government areas, with the planned release of 70 suspects seen as a continuation of such arrangements.
State Commissioner for Information and Culture, Bala Zango, argued that critics often speak without understanding the suffering of communities ravaged by banditry, stressing that unconventional measures may be necessary to protect lives and restore safety.
Calls for Federal Intervention
The Middle Belt Forum, through National President Dr. Bitrus Pogu, described the plan as “encouraging banditry” and called on the Federal Government to intervene. Ohanaeze Ndigbo leaders, including former Vice-President Chief Silas Okeke, warned that the release could have national repercussions, with bandits potentially spreading terror to other regions.
President of the Ijaw People’s Development Initiative, Austin Ozobo, also condemned the move, warning that it would further undermine public safety and embolden criminals.
