Katsina communities are negotiating peace deals with bandits, but past failures raise fears of renewed violence.
Local communities in Katsina State have entered negotiations with armed groups, sparking fears of a repeat of failed peace deals that once collapsed into violence. On Sunday, leaders in Faskari Local Government Area met with bandit representatives at Hayin Gada, where agreements were reached to halt attacks, allow farmers safe passage, and release abductees in exchange for market access and freedom of movement.
Notorious figures, including Alero and Kwashé Garwa ranked 19th on Nigeria’s most-wanted terrorists list were present. Garwa condemned the stereotyping of Fulani herders as bandits, warning that killings would continue until “injustice” against them was addressed.
Governor Dikko Radda acknowledged that similar community-driven deals were in place in other frontline councils, crediting them with restoring calm. Analysts, however, caution that earlier peace efforts in Katsina and Zamfara between 2019 and 2021 collapsed, allowing armed groups to regroup. Katsina remains at the epicenter of Nigeria’s rural banditry, with over 1.3 million displaced in the North-west since February 2025.