Bandit leader, Kachalla Ummaru, has warned that a militaristic response by security operatives in Katsina would be counterproductive—“if you kill 10 of us today, 20 more will emerge tomorrow”—and has called for negotiations, community involvement, and respect for peace accords.
At a weekend peace meeting in Matazu Local Government Area, notorious bandit leader Kachalla Ummaru issued a warning to security forces that purely kinetic operations would exacerbate, not resolve, the insecurity in Katsina State. “If today you kill 10 bandits, tomorrow you’ll see 20… you kill 20, another 30 will rise both in our bushes and villages,” he said.
He accused the government of caring more about revenue than the welfare of citizens: “If the government cared about the people, all these things won’t be happening.” Ummaru further urged that any abductions or arrests involving bandits should involve community stakeholders, insisting on the release of detained members.
At the same meeting, peace accords between bandit groups and local communities were signed in several local government areas, including Sabuwa and Dandume, aimed at ending kidnappings, killings, and cattle rustling. The agreements include demands from armed groups for cessation of vigilante reprisals and re-opening of markets shut due to insecurity.
Local authorities have promised to implement terms of the pacts, restore normalcy, and ensure safe community interactions.