Bandits terrorizing parts of Katsina have presented unusual conditions for peace, demanding the construction of schools, hospitals, and grazing reserves as part of negotiations with local communities.
The bandits new demands mark a shift from earlier calls for money or weapons to halt the incessant killings in vulnerable communities, which have left many residents displaced.
This disclosure followed recent meetings in local government areas including Dan Musa, Jibiya, Batsari, Kankara, Kurfi, and Musawa.
Katsina community leaders revealed that these demands emerged during talks in which weary village heads, desperate for respite after years of killings, kidnappings, and cattle rustling, persuaded the gunmen to come to the negotiating table.
“The militants now want facilities that can directly improve their livelihoods and those of their families,” Katsina Commissioner for Security, Nasiru Mu’azu, explained.
Mu’azu stressed that the peace talks were not initiated by the government but by residents who have endured relentless attacks.
He also admitted that previous state-sponsored amnesty initiatives collapsed, a failure that deepened insecurity and expanded the reach of violence.
The Guild reports that while banditry was confined to just five local government areas between 2011 and 2015, the menace now stretches across more than 25 councils in Katsina.
Security analysts insist the crisis is worsening, with a report by Beacon Consulting revealing that between January and March 2025 alone, 341 people were killed and 495 kidnapped in 247 separate incidents across Katsina.
In response, the state government launched a rehabilitation scheme in July aimed at gunmen willing to disarm.
The programme, overseen by the Katsina State Agency for Adult Education, combines literacy, vocational training, and religious instruction to prepare fighters for reintegration into society.
“The idea is to break the cycle of violence and revenge that has fueled banditry for over a decade,” Mu’azu said.
The commissioner also confirmed that authorities are carefully considering how to address the bandits’ fresh requests, noting that the government is open to exploring practical measures, with its priority remaining the safeguarding of lives and the restoration of calm.
