The Katsina State Government has denied involvement in any peace negotiations with bandits, following reports of an alleged peace deal involving bandit kingpins in the Batsari Local Government Area.
Dr Bala Salisu, the state’s Commissioner for Information and Culture, clarified in a telephone interview with Daily Trust that the government has maintained its stance against negotiating with bandits.
“We were not part of any peace deal, and the government’s position has always been that anyone who renounces violence and surrenders their weapons would be considered. But the government would not go asking to negotiate with any bandit,” Dr. Salisu stated.
Despite denying participation in the reported peace deal, Dr Salisu reaffirmed the government’s openness to accepting bandits who voluntarily surrender and renounce violence.
Reports from the Batsari area indicate that a peace meeting took place on Sunday, January 19, in Kofa village, involving military leadership, DSS representatives, traditional authorities, and local residents.
A resident who attended the meeting alleged that bandits sought safe access to communities and pledged to cease their attacks. The resident claimed that weapons were surrendered, kidnapped victims were freed, and the bandits described the development as the start of a comprehensive peace process.
Notorious bandit leaders, including Lamu Saudo, Abdulhamid Dan Da, Umar Black, and Abu Radda, were said to have surrendered their weapons during the meeting.
Military sources confirmed the surrender, attributing it to sustained operations that left the bandits with no choice but to seek peace. Lt. Lawal, the Public Relations Officer of the 17 Brigade Army, corroborated this account, highlighting the relentless pressure applied by security forces as a decisive factor in the development.