The Katsina State Government has commenced a fresh round of peace dialogue with armed bandits in Kakumi town, Bakori Local Government Area, as part of renewed efforts to end years of violent attacks that have ravaged the state’s southern communities.
The meeting, which reportedly began on Sunday, brought together representatives from at least five local government areas; Bakori, Kankara, Funtua, Kafur, and Malumfashi, all of which have suffered repeated bandit incursions and deadly raids in recent years.
Government sources said the dialogue aims to broker a ceasefire and secure commitments from the armed groups to stop hostilities and allow displaced residents to return home.
However, details of the discussions remain closely guarded, fuelling public anxiety and skepticism over the government’s renewed overtures to groups that have repeatedly betrayed previous peace accords.
Katsina, one of the states hardest hit by banditry in Nigeria’s Northwest, has over the years experimented with peace deals that yielded mixed outcomes. While some initiatives temporarily reduced attacks, most agreements collapsed amid allegations of insincerity on both sides.
In a development that has sparked fresh controversy, SaharaReporters earlier reported that the Chairman of Sabuwa Local Government Area, Engr. Sagir Tanimu, recently attended the wedding ceremony of children belonging to some of the bandits involved in earlier peace negotiations with the state government.
The event, which took place deep in Kadawan Dandume village, was said to be part of reconciliation efforts between local authorities and Fulani armed groups operating in the forests. Tanimu was reportedly accompanied by Alhaji Ibrahim Bello Kogo, the Prince of Kogo Emirate, and the District Head of Sabuwa.
While government officials describe such engagements as part of “confidence-building measures,” residents and civil society actors have questioned the wisdom of holding festivities with individuals yet to renounce violence or surrender their weapons.
A community leader in Funtua, who asked not to be named for safety reasons, said many residents fear the process could embolden criminal elements rather than deter them.
“We have seen this play out too many times. They come for peace meetings today and return to attack tomorrow. Until these bandits are disarmed and held accountable, there can be no genuine peace,” the source said.
Security analysts have also warned that repeated peace deals without enforcement could further weaken state authority and send the wrong signal to other armed groups operating in the region.
As Katsina returns to the dialogue table, many residents are watching with mixed feelings, torn between the desperate hope for peace and the bitter memory of past betrayals that left villages burned, families broken, and thousands displaced.
For now, the government’s gamble to restore peace through dialogue remains a delicate experiment in a state still counting its losses from years of unrelenting bloodshed.
