No fewer than 20 out of the 34 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Katsina State have reportedly entered into a peace accord with armed bandits.
Naijaonpoint reports that the agreement comes amid rising public concern over its effectiveness following renewed attacks in parts of the state.
The peace talks reportedly involved council chairmen and traditional rulers from the affected LGAs.
According to Vanguard, participants said the armed groups arrived at the venue on motorcycles, fired gunshots into the air to announce their presence, and departed within an hour.
Journalists were reportedly barred from recording or filming the meeting for security reasons.
According to media accounts of the discussions, the bandit groups demanded the release of their detained comrades and signalled readiness to release those currently held in their camps.
Local authorities were said to have responded that any such requests must follow official channels through the security and correctional systems.
Despite the supposed agreement, residents in several areas covered by the deal say continued attacks have left them uncertain about the pact’s durability.
One resident, who declined to be named, said the priority of the people remains basic safety.
“My only hope is for us to regain our freedom and have peace. Many lives have been lost, and livelihoods destroyed. We just want to start again,” he said.
Another resident stressed the need for ongoing dialogue to stabilise the fragile accord.
“There should be ongoing engagement to prevent misunderstandings. Strong committees need to meet regularly to review progress and address any lapses,” he said.
A third resident welcomed the peace pact cautiously, saying it could give rural residents a chance to recover from months of violence and hardship.
“If this agreement holds, our communities may have a chance to harvest and rebuild. Many people in the southern and eastern parts of Katsina have faced serious losses,” he said.
However, authorities in Katsina have not issued any official statement on the emerging concerns at the time of filing this report.
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