Public anger is mounting in Katsina State following the government’s move to facilitate the release of 70 individuals standing trial for alleged involvement in banditry, a decision officials insist is necessary to sustain fragile peace agreements with armed groups terrorising rural communities.
Defending the controversial plan, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasir Muazu, said the proposed release forms part of negotiated peace arrangements with what he described as “repentant bandits” operating across multiple local government areas of the state.
Muazu made the remarks during an interview with DCL Hausa on Saturday, amid widespread condemnation triggered by a leaked official letter requesting judicial intervention to secure the suspects’ release from ongoing prosecutions.
According to the commissioner, the peace accords have delivered tangible results, including the freedom of nearly 1,000 abducted persons across at least 15 local government areas. He argued that sustaining the agreements required difficult compromises.
He compared the move to prisoner exchanges that occur during armed conflicts, insisting that prioritising peace sometimes outweighs the pursuit of punishment. “The focus is not on whether crimes were committed,” he said, “but on ending violence and restoring calm.”
Judicial Letter Sparks Public Fury
The controversy intensified after Sahara Reporters published the leaked correspondence issued by the Katsina State Ministry of Justice and addressed to the Chief Judge of the state. The letter sought the intervention of the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee (ACJMC) to enable the release of the suspects.
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Signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Abdur-Rahman Umar, the letter disclosed that an initial list of 48 suspects accused of various banditry-related offences had been submitted by the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs. It described their release as a “condition precedent” for the continuation of peace deals between frontline local governments and armed groups.
A second list containing about 22 additional suspects facing trial before different high courts across the state was also forwarded under the same arrangement.
The ministry urged the Chief Judge to act under Section 371(2) of the Katsina State Administration of Criminal Justice Law (2021), which outlines the authority of the Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee.
Muazu maintained that neither the judiciary nor the Ministry of Justice had breached any laws and advised critics to seek redress through the courts if dissatisfied.
Figures, Names, and Rising Anxiety
In justifying the policy, the commissioner cited local government-specific figures of abductees allegedly released through the peace deals: Sabuwa (310), Bakori (125), Danmusa (60), Dutsinma (62), and Safana (36).
However, a list obtained by Katsina Times revealed that the 70 suspects include at least one woman. Names on the list include Hadiza Dije Hauwa’u (Safana), Gambo Zubairu (Faskari), Muntari Yusuf (Safana), Yakubu Alhaji Ardo, Tukur Amadu (Liman), Idi Salisu Gaddi, Abdulhayatu Jabiru, Ya’u Buhari, and Amadu Rufa’i Anare.
The disclosure has deepened public anxiety, particularly among victims and witnesses who fear retaliation should convicted or accused bandits return to their communities.
Victims Ignored, Justice Undermined — Activist
Reacting sharply, Abdullahi Hassan Kofar Sauri, head of the Network for Justice, criticised both the state and federal governments for what he described as contradictory posturing.
Speaking with newsmen, he argued that the government had previously denied negotiating with bandits, only to now pursue their release from correctional facilities.
“These individuals were prosecuted, witnesses testified, and convictions were secured in some cases,” he said. “Suddenly, they are being freed under the guise of peace. What happens to those who risked their lives to testify against them?”
Kofar Sauri questioned whether victims’ families would receive meaningful compensation for murders, arson, and displacement allegedly carried out by those now being released.
“How do you tell a man whose father was killed or whose home was burnt down that his attacker has been freed and then expect him to feel safe?” he asked. “This is a one-sided peace.”
‘Dangerous and Insincere’ — Security Expert
A security analyst, Yahuza Getso, also condemned the move, warning that releasing alleged bandits poses grave risks not just to Katsina State but to national security.
He described the strategy as “dangerous, unserious, and lacking sincerity,” alleging that some political leaders have quietly empowered violent actors instead of confronting them.
“I personally know of a sitting governor in the North-West who distributed motorcycles to bandits and so-called volunteers,” Getso claimed. “That tells you everything about the lack of commitment to ending insecurity.”
Release Plan Amid Fresh Bloodshed
The proposed release comes at a troubling time, as bandit attacks have surged again in parts of Katsina State. Earlier this week, gunmen reportedly invaded several villages in Malumfashi Local Government Area, including Unguwar Alhaji Barau, Gidan Dan Mai-gizo, and Gidan Hazo killing eight residents and abducting many others.
As of November last year, 18 of Katsina’s 34 local government areas had entered peace agreements with bandit groups. While some areas recorded temporary calm, others have remained under constant attack, raising doubts about the durability and credibility of the deals.
The affected local governments include Kankara, Kafur, Malumfashi, Funtua, Batagarawa, Charanchi, Sabuwa, Dandume, Faskari, Matazu, Musawa, Safana, Kurfi, Dutsinma, Jibia, Batsari, Danmusa, and Bakori.
Under the agreements, community leaders pledged compliance while bandits promised to halt attacks and free captives, promises many residents now fear may be short-lived.
