The Katsina State Government has strongly defended its initiative to facilitate the release of 70 individuals suspected of banditry-related offences, describing the move as a critical step to sustain and consolidate peace accords with armed groups operating in the state.
Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasir Muazu, made the clarification in an interview with DCL Hausa on Saturday, amid growing public outrage triggered by a leaked "SECRET" letter dated January 2, 2026.
The document, from the Katsina State Ministry of Justice and addressed to the Chief Judge, requested intervention by the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee (ACJMC) to enable the suspects' release.
Signed by Director of Public Prosecutions Abdur-Rahman Umar, it referenced lists of 48 suspects (mostly in magistrate courts, some in Federal High Court) and an additional 22 in high courts, noting the action as a "condition precedent" for continuing peace deals signed between frontline local governments and bandits.
Muazu emphasized that the peace arrangements, involving at least 15 local government areas, have already delivered concrete results: the release of approximately 1,000 abducted persons.
He cited specific figures from communities including Sabuwa (310), Bakori (125), Danmusa (60), Dutsinma (62), and Safana (36), with relative calm reported in areas like Faskari, Kurfi, and others.Defending the strategy, the commissioner likened the proposed release to wartime prisoner exchanges, common in conflicts worldwide, including Nigeria's civil war and negotiations with Boko Haram.
"The issue is not whether an offence was committed or not, but ensuring peace," he said. "Prisoner exchange is not a new thing in the history of war and peace."
He stressed that the Ministry of Justice and courts have acted within the law, citing Section 371(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Katsina State, 2021, and invited dissatisfied parties to seek legal redress.
The development comes against a backdrop of persistent insecurity, with a recent resurgence of attacks, including a deadly raid in Malumfashi LGA last week that killed eight and kidnapped several despite peace pacts in 18 of the state's 34 local government areas (including Kankara, Funtua, Batsari, Jibia, and more).
Under these agreements, bandits pledge to halt attacks, release captives, and allow safe farming and access to markets and healthcare, while communities commit to rehabilitation efforts.
Critics, however, have expressed deep skepticism. Abdullahi Hassan Kofar Sauri of the Network for Justice called for compensation to victims' families, arguing the move is one-sided and ignores the trauma of those affected by murders, arson, and abductions.
Security expert Yahuza Getso described it as "dangerous" and lacking sincerity, warning it could embolden criminals and undermine trust.
The controversy has fueled nationwide debate on the efficacy of negotiating with bandits, with many questioning whether such deals truly deliver lasting security or merely reward criminality.
As investigations and discussions continue, the state maintains that prioritizing peace and abductee releases outweighs prolonged prosecutions in the fight against banditry.
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