Party Chieftain Alleges Katsina Council Earmarked N300m For Bandits

A former secretary to the Katsina State government (SSG)and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dr Mustapha Inuwa, has alleged that a local government in the state earmarked N300 million in its annual budget to sustain peace deals with bandits.

Inuwa made the allegation during a video interview on social media in which he criticised the state’s approach to addressing insecurity, warning that the practice of negotiating with armed groups could further expose rural communities to violence.

According to him, the alleged budgetary allocation contradicts repeated assurances by the Katsina State Government that it does not negotiate with bandits, insisting instead that peace initiatives were driven by local communities.

“If the government says it is not negotiating with bandits, how do you explain a situation where a local government has N300 million in its budget for bandits?” Inuwa asked.

He said the development suggests that armed groups are now dictating the terms of peace, rather than the government enforcing law and order.

The former SSG expressed concern that such arrangements have left residents of rural communities vulnerable, especially amid reports that the state is considering the release of 70 suspected bandits currently in custody.

He noted that locals fear possible reprisals if the suspects are released, particularly against those who assisted security agencies in identifying and arresting the suspects.

Inuwa acknowledged that peace has returned to some communities but stressed that insecurity persists in others, citing recent attacks in Malumfashi Local Government Area and parts of the state as evidence that the crisis remains unresolved.

He further alleged that peace deals in Katsina have contributed to a spillover of violence into neighbouring states, claiming that bandits often relocate to other areas, including Kano State, after reaching agreements locally.

Drawing from his experience in government, Inuwa recalled previous peace deals in which bandits pledged to renounce violence and surrender their weapons but later returned to criminal activities.

“What is different now is that the bandits are the ones setting conditions, while communities are forced to comply,” he said.

The ADC chieftain called on Governor Dikko Umaru Radda to engage directly with rural communities and involve the Federal Government in addressing insecurity in the North-West, arguing that the problem requires a coordinated national response.

Despite his criticisms, Inuwa said he was not blaming the governor, noting that tackling insurgency and banditry is beyond the capacity of any single state.

The Katsina state government has since justified its position to release the bandits to save lives as a strategy to sustain the peace deal reached by the locals in their various communities.