Amid rumours that Kaduna is paying cash to bandits to end banditry activities in the state, the government has clarified that it never paid a dime to armed men to halt attacks on communities, which have displaced residents.
The government said it instead provided access to education, healthcare, and livelihood opportunities, helping to restore peace and protect communities from further violence.
Commissioner for Information, Ahmed Maiyaki, said the approach was designed to restore stability through dialogue and development rather than through financial appeasement or military confrontation.
According to him, the initiative focused on rebuilding trust between communities and former fighters who had lived for years in hostility.
The clarification came during a peace journalism workshop organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Correspondents’ Chapel, in partnership with the Global Peace Foundation and the Kaduna Ministry of Information on Wednesday.
Maiyaki explained that the state’s approach, known as the Kaduna Peace Model, marked a deliberate shift from “confrontation to conversation,” adding that true peace could only be achieved through inclusion and empathy. “You cannot bomb peace into existence; you must build it with trust,” he said.
He stressed that the government never handed out any money to armed groups but instead reopened schools, health centres, and markets that had been closed due to insecurity.
“We didn’t give them a dime,” he said. “What we offered was life back to communities that had long been abandoned.”
Maiyaki noted that the initiative had led to the safe release of more than 500 captives through negotiations conducted in partnership with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), without any ransom payments.
“We are seeing trust where there was fear, and cooperation where there was hostility,” he added.
He cited examples of ex-bandit leaders, including Jan Bros and Yellow One Million, who have now become peace mediators within their communities.
According to him, the model works because “it is owned by the people; communities are co-creating peace rather than having it imposed from above.”
Maiyaki further revealed that over 500,000 hectares of farmland had been reclaimed in areas such as Giwa, Birnin Gwari, and Kauru, with markets and trade activities gradually returning.
“Every reopened school or market is a victory over fear,” he stated. “Our people wanted dignity, not pity.”
Moreover, he emphasised that the peace process is not a one-time truce but an ongoing engagement involving traditional rulers, clerics, and local leaders to prevent a relapse into violence. Quoting Governor Uba Sani, he said, “We are not declaring victory; we are declaring commitment.”
Maiyaki concluded that the Kaduna Peace Model represents a sustainable blueprint for restoring calm in conflict zones.
“Peace is cheaper, deeper, and more enduring when people have a stake in it,” he said. “Security without humanity is insecurity in disguise.”
