Armed bandits in Katsina State have alleged that the Nigerian government played a role in driving them into terrorism, during a new peace negotiation held in the Batagarawa and Charanchi local government areas on Saturday.
At the meeting, which was attended by community leaders and local government officials, one of the armed men claimed that government policies and neglect forced them into violent activities.
“It was the government that made us take up arms, but now it has asked us to stop. By God’s grace, we have agreed to stop from today,” he said.
He further alleged that the government possesses the power to end insecurity in the region but has chosen not to.
“If the authorities truly want peace, they can achieve it. The problem is that they don’t want it to end,” he added.
The peace parley is part of renewed local efforts to curb persistent attacks, killings, and kidnappings that have devastated communities across Katsina and neighbouring states.
However, security analysts have repeatedly warned that such community-level peace deals are often ineffective, as they lack federal backing and can weaken state authority.
The Defence Headquarters had earlier cautioned that engaging bandits in direct negotiations could embolden criminal groups and undermine national security efforts.
Katsina remains one of the worst-hit states by banditry in northern Nigeria, with thousands of residents displaced and livelihoods destroyed.
