₦airaland Forum

The Katsina State Government has justified its plan to facilitate the release of 70 persons facing trial for alleged involvement in banditry, describing it as part of efforts towards consolidating peace deals with armed groups operating across the state.

The state’s Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasir Muazu, said the decision was aimed at sustaining peace accords reached between affected communities and “repentant bandits.”

The commissioner explained this in an interview with DCL Hausa on Saturday amid public outrage over a leaked government letter seeking judicial intervention to secure the release of the suspects currently undergoing prosecution.

He said the peace agreements had resulted in the release of about 1,000 abducted persons across several communities.

According to the commissioner, at least 15 local government areas were involved in the peace arrangement, which, he said, had led to the release of about 1,000 abductees.

Muazu likened the release of the suspects to what happens during wartime where warring parties exchange prisoners.

The letter, first reported by Sahara Reporters, was issued by the Katsina State Ministry of Justice and addressed to the Chief Judge of the state, requesting the intervention of the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee (ACJMC) to facilitate the release of the suspects.

The letter, which was signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Abdur-Rahman Umar, stated that a list of 48 suspects accused of various banditry-related offences had been forwarded to the Ministry of Justice by the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs.

The ministry said the proposed release was to serve as “one of the conditions precedent for the continuance of the peace accord deal signed between the frontline local governments and the bandits.”

The letter also stated that while some of the suspects had been arraigned before the Federal High Court, most of them were still being held at various magistrates’ courts across the state awaiting trial.

Another list of about 22 inmates facing trial before different high courts in Katsina State was also submitted for possible release under the same peace arrangement.

The ministry called on the Chief Judge of the state to take “necessary action,” citing Section 371(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Katsina State, 2021, which outlines the powers of the Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee.

Muazu, while defending the move for the release of the 70 bandits, said the peace deal had yielded measurable results, particularly in the release of abducted persons.

He cited figures of the released abductees from several local government areas as including Sabuwa (310), Bakori (125), Danmusa (60), Dutsinma (62) and Safana (36).

The commissioner stated that neither the Ministry of Justice nor the courts had violated any existing laws, saying anyone dissatisfied with the decision was free to seek legal redress.

“All over the world, after wars, prisoner exchanges usually take place. During Nigeria’s civil war, prisoners were exchanged, just as it happened in negotiations involving Boko Haram.

“The issue is not whether an offence was committed or not, but ensuring peace. Prisoners’ exchange is not a new thing in the history of war and peace,” he said.

‘Names of bandits to be released’

A list obtained by the Katsina Times, an online newspaper in the state, showed that there is a female among the 70 bandits to be released.

Some of the names on the list are Hadiza Dije Hauwa’u from Safana, Gambo Zubairu Faskari, Muntari Yusuf Safana, Yakubu Alhaji Ardo, Tukur Amadu (Liman), İdi Salisu Gaddi, Abdulhayatu Jabiru, Ya’u Buhari and Amadu Rufa’i Anare.

‘Govt must compensate victims’ families’

Speaking to Daily Trust on the telephone last night, the head of Network for Justice, Abdullahi Hassan Kofar Sauri, said the government should compensate families of victims of bandits’ attacks in the state.

He said it was unfortunate that the Katsina State Government and the federal government had given the impression that they were not involved in negotiating with bandits.

“The state government is trying to release some of the convicted bandits that are being tried in the court of law. This is something that the state government said they not involved in. Now, again, well, these people are in their custody.

“The convicted bandits are in the custody of the government. They are in the correctional centres. They have been convicted. So, that means the government is holding them. They have to serve their various sentences.

“Then the news just filtered that about 70 of them were being released. It is really a very disturbing development. And people are concerned. I just wonder: why is the state government now coming back and saying that it is going to release them?

“You see, all of them that were tried and convicted would have happened through prosecution and bringing prosecution witnesses and all kinds of things. Like, for example, I’m just giving an example: I might have probably played a role in trying to give evidence against a bandit and he has been tried and convicted three or four years ago.

“All of a sudden, he is released now under the name of a so-called peace deal. Do you think it will allow me to move around? It won’t. So, again, it is a one-sided affair.

“Somebody was convicted for murder, for arson. What do you do to the family of the victims? In what way are you going to compensate them? Will the state government come out and say okay, since we have released Mr. X, a bandit who destroyed your house or killed your father, now we are going to give you compensation, appropriate compensation, not a paltry sum of $300,000 or $500,000? You have to find the appropriate compensation to give to the people, to the victims.

“But nobody said anything about it. And these same convicted bandits that are going to be released will go back to the villages, to the bushes, along with the local people. How do you reconcile that? That is why people are very skeptical and worried.”


Release of convicted bandits dangerous – Security expert

A security expert, Yahuza Getso, in an interview with Daily Trust last night, described the move to release the bandits as dangerous to Katsina State and the country as a whole, saying they cannot be trusted.

According to him, the move “lacks sincerity and cannot hold water.”

He stated: “I can reliably tell you that I know of a sitting governor from the North West who recently distributed twenty-five motorcycles each to volunteers and bandits. Now, tell me where is the sincerity and commitment to ending insecurity? This act portrays the weakness and insincerity of the government in the fight against banditry.”

Resurgence of bandits’ attacks

The move by the state government to secure the release of 70 bandits is coming amidst the resurgence of bandits’ attacks in the state.

Last Monday, bandits raided some communities in Malumfashi Local Government Area of the state, killing eight persons and kidnapping many others.

The affected villages were Unguwar Alhaji Barau, Gidan Dan Mai-gizo and Gidan Hazo.

As of November last year, 18 of the 34 local government areas in the state had entered into peace deals with bandits. While some of the local government areas have recorded relative calm, others have continued to suffer attacks despite the negotiations, raising questions about the effectiveness of the deals.

The 18 local governments that have entered the peace agreements with bandits are Kankara, Kafur, Malumfashi, Funtua, Batagarawa, Charanchi, Sabuwa, Dandume, Faskari, Matazu, Musawa, Safana, Kurfi, Dutsinma, Jibia, Batsari, Danmusa and Bakori.

Under the agreements, community leaders and traditional rulers pledged to respect the terms, while bandits agreed to cease attacks and release captives.

Source: https://dailytrust.com/katsina-defends-release-of-70-bandits

Let them continue, hand will soon touch them, State police is the way but internal strife in States will become the new norm

Which peace deal? Are State Governments supposed to be dealing with terrorists or is this not a federal government thing? See them releasing bandits who kill innocent people but sentencing people to death who defend themselves. FG better step in and take this bandits where they belong. The Governor also need to be watched closely.

Freeing bandits while their victims are gone and their surviving relatives are still grieving is an insult to humanity. Whatever goes around, comes around. Make una continue.

I only pity southern soldiers

you release bandit to bandits so that they will be peaceful





Altaqiyya

What happened to the solders, civilians they killed? What happen to the victims families? The farmlands churches and all the economic havocs they wrecked? It's quite nauseating realizing I share same country with wild animals in form of humans

Just imagine this rubbish.

And people were angry that Trump called us a disgraced country.

We are now cutting deals with criminals and releasing the ones that were initially captured.

RIP to the soldiers who died while trying to arrest them.

Peter Obi is coming to stop all these nyama nyama.

esnbrutality:
Domperigon
Madridguy
Ttalk
Wizardofng
Putindbutt

Abandoned thread.

Just change the topic to

IGBO
IPOB
ESN


and see them in full effects, ranting aimlessly.

Anyway, BIAFRA is at hand.

Remember, Fulani and Yoruba are 1

If They like, they should release all the terrorists. My own is that they should limit their nonsense in the north and some state in the SW and also states like kwara and kogi that they have already conquered.

They are not allowed in the greater Christian South.

esnbrutality:
Domperigon
Madridguy
Ttalk
Wizardofng
Putindbutt

Abandoned thread.

Just change the topic to

IGBO
IPOB
ESN


and see them in full effects, ranting aimlessly.

Anyway, BIAFRA is at hand.

Remember, Fulani and Yoruba are 1

Don't be tagging me for these childish back and forth you lot engage in. At least know others and their consistent views/opinion before trying to solicit their attention.

Below is what I want and will always advocate for because I know, within it, the SW will get it right and be exemplary in every aspect of socio-economic and security solutions she needs for herself and her people.

We will never have terrorists let alone any exist to pardon. That's for you lot and Northerners to grapple with.

Same way virtually every person from your region wanted your "innocent"messiah and brother Kanu be set free, by any means possible, is how the North and Fulanis too see the need for their brother's to be pardoned.

Every time you ignorantly call Kanu and co "freedom fighters", do you not think North are saying same about their bandits and terrorists also? Gumi, Obi's best friend, even directly argues that case daily .

Meaning it is you and Northerners who are the problem of Nigeria because you do not want a nation where a criminal is a criminal and a terrorists a terrorist regardless of ethnic or religious background. You both wish to pick and choose hence the reason Yorubas want regional autonomy to manage their affairs without lunatic 'one Nigeria' interference.

In the meantime, go and carry placard at Katsina government house over a mindset that is exclusively Northern and mainly Fulani. Nothing to do with me or majority of Yoruba.

If you will be calling out anyone, it should be your messiah Obi shamelessly famzIng Gumi, an apologist of terrorism always advocating amnesty and rehabilitation for hardened and genocidal killers, and Malami now a suspected sponsor of terrorism.

You can't gaslight sensible Yorubas with your pedestrian mischief-making and duplicity considering the Southern stalwarts of Atiku and Fulani 2027 Presidency are majority Igbos.


https://punchng.com/swest-govs-propose-six-regions-demand-lg-autonomy-resource-control/

Tinubu should just decentralize everything.

It is evident that this current system cannot work when you have states with varying ideologies.

Either you break it apart or decentralize everything such that what someone chose to do in Zamfara won’t affect or influence what I choose to do in Ogun.

stanluiz:
If They like, they should release all the terrorists. My own is that they should limit their nonsense in the north and some state in the SW and also states like kwara and kogi that they have already conquered.

They are not allowed in the greater Christian South.

Lol. Why do you want Fulani bandits and terrorists to stay away when you already have ESN, UGM, Autopilots and so many factions of IPOB terrorising indigenes of the SE?

You have you own internal and very worrying struggle with terror yet still gaslighting others. Do you guys reflect deeply at all before you rush to speak?

Penguin2:
Just imagine this rubbish.

And people were angry that Trump called us a disgraced country.

We are now cutting deals with criminals and releasing the ones that were initially captured.

RIP to the soldiers who died while trying to arrest them.

Peter Obi is coming to stop all these nyama nyama.

Peter Obi will probably start crying if all these Northern folks threaten him for one day.

We know politicians that are men, Obi is a boy and got no courage. A boy like Obi will be easily threatened just as they use street run Jonathan.

LegendHero:
Tinubu should just decentralize everything.

It is evident that this current system cannot work when you have states with varying ideologies.

Either you break it apart or decentralize everything such that what someone chose to do in Zamfara won’t affect or influence what I choose to do in Ogun.

Baba, shey una see wetin I don't dey campaign for, to raise the awareness in our people, for a while now?

Yorubas , throughout the history of Nigeria, always show moderation, tolerance ,wisdom and a lawful and peaceful disposition. We are different to others who lack some or all of the qualities above.

This means we should be giving serious thoughts to how we must escape, asap, those who are very different to us and put us in existential danger because of these differences.

Those creating terror groups up and down and threatening to fragment Nigeria violently are displaying the signs of mass-indoctrinated murderous anarchy that makes many in a group believe use of violence and killings is justified to gain what they want.

The bolded in your post, i.e ideological difference of Nigerians, is what I have been insisting we all take into consideration to agitate for regional autonomy asap regardless of whether our own is President or not.

No President can save Nigeria because we are too different ideologically and horrendously over what we most be have one united opinion of. Like punishment of serious crime, like terrorism, for example.

The SE lot will argue innocence of IPOB, Kanu etal an day while Gumi presents Bello Turji and co as "neglected and wronged" Nigerians all of us need to appease.

Whereas these big differences show we are in the category of nations with no homogeneity of ideas, related to major socio-economic considerations, that are then only marking time till they separate.

The choice is whether we do it productively, consciously and sensibly through regional autonomy as we hosted before.

Or we let things get worse, insisting secession is constitutionally treasonous yet we are not moving firmly for regionalism either, till the ethnic cleansing war that ravaged Rwanda becomes our reality.

Dereliction of duty from the federal government. What authority does a state government have releasing inmates that were jailed for terrorism? Is that why he's so desperate to enact state policing?

You are pathetic and disillusioned to think I read your arrant nonsense.

Epistles are always the benchmark for failures to justify their uselessness.

Nonsense

WizardOfNG:
Don't be tagging me for these childish back and forth you lot engage in. At least know others and their consistent views/opinion before trying to solicit their attention.

Below is what I want and will always advocate for because I know, within it, the SW will get it right and be exemplary in every aspect of socio-economic and security solutions she needs for herself and her people.

We will never have terrorists let alone any exist to pardon. That's for you lot and Northerners to grapple with.

Same way virtually every person from your region wanted your "innocent"messiah and brother Kanu be set free, by any means possible, is how the North and Fulanis too see the need for their brother's to be pardoned.

Every time you ignorantly call Kanu and co "freedom fighters", do you not think North are saying same about their bandits and terrorists also? Gumi, Obi's best friend, even directly argues that case daily .

Meaning it is you and Northerners who are the problem of Nigeria because you do not want a nation where a criminal is a criminal and a terrorists a terrorist regardless of ethnic or religious background. You both wish to pick and choose hence the reason Yorubas want regional autonomy to manage their affairs without lunatic 'one Nigeria' interference.

In the meantime, go and carry placard at Katsina government house over a mindset that is exclusively Northern and mainly Fulani. Nothing to do with me or majority of Yoruba.

If you will be calling out anyone, it should be your messiah Obi shamelessly famzIng Gumi, an apologist of terrorism always advocating amnesty and rehabilitation for hardened and genocidal killers, and Malami now a suspected sponsor of terrorism.

You can't gaslight sensible Yorubas with your pedestrian mischief-making and duplicity considering the Southern stalwarts of Atiku and Fulani 2027 Presidency are majority Igbos.


https://punchng.com/swest-govs-propose-six-regions-demand-lg-autonomy-resource-control/

There’s no justification
It’s part of the reason banditary keeps increasing
Because they can get away with it

esnbrutality:
You are pathetic and disillusioned to think I read your arrant nonsense.

Epistles are always the benchmark for failures to justify their uselessness.

Nonsense

Illiteracy, ignorance and a hateful soul are terrible. To find all those undesirables in one human being is truly tragic.

How does Katsina plan to settle all their victims?