- Two More Katsina LGAs Sign Peace Accord with Bandits
- Bandits agree to allow farmers safe access
- Truce includes end to kidnappings and attacks
Safana and another local government area in Katsina State have formally entered peace agreements with bandit groups.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that Safana LGA joined earlier-agreement LGAs like Jibia, Batsari, and Danmusa in negotiating a truce with local bandit elements. Local leaders, traditional heads, and bandit representatives met at a forest fringe in Runka town to hammer out terms.
The agreement commits bandits to cease violence, kidnappings, and attacks on farmers. In return, residents are promised free movement of people and goods, safe access to farmland, and unhindered travel to markets, schools, and hospitals. The peace accord also includes clauses to rebuild damaged infrastructure and ensure basic amenities reach affected communities.
During the ceremony, community leaders appealed to bandits to keep their word and emphasized that the effectiveness of the deal depends on trust and follow-up by all parties. Youth leaders were tasked with helping monitor the truce, and traditional rulers pledged to ensure the forgotten voices in villages are uplifted.
One of the conditions outlined is that bandits will release all kidnapped individuals still in their custody and surrender any weapons they still hold. The agreement also made provision for rehabilitating facilities like dams, health centres, and schools, especially in zones where damage from banditry was severe.
Residents have expressed relief at the accord. Many said they had abandoned their farmlands out of fear and economic loss but are now returning to work as the peace takes effect. Shops in once dangerous routes are reopening, and daily life is showing signs of returning to normal in the affected areas.
Security agencies are expected to assist by ensuring patrols and monitoring to prevent breaches of the agreement. While the state government maintains it does not formally negotiate with bandits, it endorses community-led peace efforts and encourages those willing to lay down arms to do so.
Observers suggest that these peace deals, if sustained, could significantly reduce instability, encourage agricultural productivity, and restore confidence in frontline communities. But they caution that consistent enforcement and tangible benefits will be required if the truce is to last.
