Group condemns Katsina’s planned release of 70 bandit suspects

The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has condemned the Katsina State Government for initiating the release of about 70 suspected and convicted bandits, warning that the move undermines justice, security and the authority of the state.

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In a statement issued on Tuesday by its National Coordinator, Jamilu Charanchi, the group said it recognises the urgency of ending killings, kidnappings and destruction in Katsina and the wider North-West, but argued that peace secured through appeasement and judicial compromise is neither sustainable nor just.

The group faulted the state government’s attempt to liken the release of bandits to wartime prisoner exchanges, describing the comparison as “deeply flawed, misleading and dangerous.”

“Nigeria is not engaged in a conventional war with a recognised adversary bound by rules of engagement,” the statement said.

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“Bandits are criminal terrorists who have murdered citizens, razed communities, raped women, displaced families and destabilised rural economies.”

According to the coalition, treating armed groups as negotiating equals—without first degrading their capacity for violence—weakens the state’s authority.

While noting it is not opposed to dialogue or reintegration in principle, the CNG said negotiations with violent groups should only occur after the state has demonstrated overwhelming capacity to defeat them.

“Peace must be negotiated from a position of strength, not weakness,” Mr Charanchi said, adding that what is unfolding in Katsina suggests the opposite.

The coalition said suspects facing trial were being released as preconditions for peace, judicial processes appeared subordinated to executive bargaining, and communities continued to suffer renewed attacks even as concessions were made to armed groups.

“This approach sends a dangerous signal that violence pays, justice is negotiable and the state lacks resolve,” the statement said. It also criticised what it described as the government’s silence on the fate of victims and their families.

“Homes were burnt, farms destroyed and entire communities displaced. Many victims and witnesses risked their lives to cooperate with law enforcement and testify in court,” Mr Charanchi said.

“Releasing suspects or convicts without transparent truth-telling, judicial closure, restitution and meaningful compensation amounts to a betrayal of these victims and a grave injustice to society. Peace that ignores justice does not heal; it deepens fear, resentment and insecurity.”

The CNG raised concerns about the timing of the planned releases, noting that they coincide with a resurgence of attacks and killings in parts of Katsina State, including Malumfashi Local Government Area.

“If the agreements are effective, communities should not still be under siege. If bandits are truly repentant, violence should not persist,” the statement said.

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The coalition called on the federal government and security agencies—including the Nigerian Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services—to intensify and better coordinate efforts against banditry and terrorism across northern Nigeria.

It urged the Katsina State Government to suspend any plan to release suspected or convicted bandits under peace arrangements and to respect judicial processes, including ongoing trials and sentences.

Where engagement is eventually considered, the group said it must be transparent and anchored on disarmament, restitution, deradicalisation and long-term monitoring, with victims placed at the centre of the process.

“Peace is not achieved by surrendering the rule of law.

Security is not built by rewarding violence. Justice is not optional,” the statement said.

Background

Last week, PREMIUM TIMES reported that controversy erupted in Katsina following the emergence of an official document indicating that the state government had initiated steps to secure the release of dozens of suspected bandits facing criminal trials.

The document—a January 2 letter marked “Secret” from the Katsina State Ministry of Justice to the Chief Judge—requested the intervention of the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee to facilitate the release of the detainees.

Signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Abdur-Rahman Umar, the letter said a list of 48 suspects accused of banditry-related offences had been forwarded to the ministry by the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs.

Their release, it said, was intended to serve as a condition for sustaining a peace accord with armed groups operating in frontline local governments.

The ministry also disclosed that while a few of the suspects had been arraigned before the Federal High Court, most remained in detention awaiting trial at magistrate courts across the state. A separate list of about 22 inmates facing trial at various High Courts was also submitted for release under the same arrangement.

The state government has defended the move, saying it is aimed at sustaining peace agreements with armed groups.

The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasir Muazu, said the measure was intended to consolidate accords reached between affected communities and repentant bandits across at least 15 local government areas, adding that the agreements had led to the release of about 1,000 abducted persons.