The Katsina State Government has revealed that bandits have made a series of demands, including the construction of schools, hospitals, and grazing reserve, as part of an ongoing peace agreement in the state.
One of the most contentious debates in states grappling with insecurity is whether to adopt mediation or the use of force in addressing the issue of banditry.
In a statement issued following a peace meeting, the Katsina State Government stated: “It was not the [Katsina] government that initiated the peace agreement with the militants – it was the community that demanded it.
“It was the village leaders who negotiated with the repentant gunmen, which led to the signing of peace agreements in the local government areas of Dan Musa, Jibiya, Batsari, Kankara, Kurfi, and Musawa.”
However, the Katsina State Commissioner for Security, Nasiru Mu’azu, confirmed to the BBC that the bandits had made significant demands.
These demands include: construction of schools; construction of hospitals; and support for animal husbandry.
Security experts in Nigeria have long linked the problem of banditry to a lack of infrastructure and the breakdown of law and order in rural communities.
During the Katsina stakeholders’ meeting, the commissioner identified injustice as one of the key factors that led to the rise in cattle rustling and kidnapping for ransom.
According to the BBC, despite the state government’s public stance that it remains reluctant to negotiate directly with the bandits, the commissioner acknowledged that the collapse of the government’s amnesty programme had further worsened the security situation in the state.
“The commissioner explained how the problem of gun violence spread from five local government areas between 2011 and 2015, to 25 local government areas between 2015 and 2023, due to the collapse of the amnesty scheme,” the statement after the meeting said.
Kabiru Adamu, a security expert in Nigeria, said the initiative by the Katsina Government could help address the state’s worsening security challenges.
“One of the root causes of the [gunmen] crisis is the feeling of oppression among some of them. Without addressing that, the issue cannot be resolved,” said Adamu.
However, he warned that not all of the gunmen should be granted support:
“It is crucial to identify those genuinely in need of help, as some have turned crime into a livelihood. Those who engage in theft and terrorise communities should not be supported, so as not to encourage further criminality,” he said.
In the first quarter of 2025, a report by Beacon Consulting, a security research firm in Nigeria, revealed that 341 people were killed and 495 kidnapped in 247 attacks across the state.
In July, the Katsina State Government announced plans to launch a programme aimed at changing the mindset of repentant gunmen who had recently surrendered their weapons.
The government said literacy classes and vocational training programmes would be introduced to help reintegrate the gunmen into society.
The State’s Adult Education Agency has been tasked with developing the programme to rehabilitate the gunmen.
Under the scheme, those who surrender their arms will have the opportunity to study both modern and Islamic education, and be taught the consequences of violence, murder, and revenge.
Earlier this week, the state government held a high-level meeting to address the ongoing crisis. The State Commissioner for Security briefed stakeholders on the current situation and confirmed to the BBC the government’s plan to meet some of the bandits’ demands in a bid to restore peace.
