Katsina Faces Nationwide Backlash Over Plan to Release 70 Suspected Bandits

Katsina State Government is under fire after revealing plans to release 70 suspects facing trial for alleged banditry, a move that has sparked widespread criticism from legal experts, civil society groups, and victims’ families.

According to an official “SECRET” letter dated January 2, the government approached the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee (ACJMC) to facilitate the release. The letter, reportedly addressed to the Chief Judge of the state, cited Section 371(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Katsina, 2021, framing the action as a measure to sustain peace accords between certain local government areas and armed groups.

The announcement has ignited outrage, with critics arguing that freeing suspects accused of violent crimes threatens the rule of law and denies justice to victims. Abdullahi Kofar Sauri of the Network for Justice called the decision “a dangerous precedent,” urging authorities to prioritize compensation and redress for victims’ families over leniency for criminals.

Security analyst Yahuza Getso described the plan as “lacking sincerity” and warned it could erode community trust in security strategies. Crisis journalist Bakatsine highlighted past failures of similar initiatives, noting that bandits who were previously released quickly returned to criminal activity, exacerbating insecurity across multiple local government areas.

“The violence has not ended,” Bakatsine wrote on X. “From December 2025 to today, dozens of communities across Malumfashi, Faskari, Kafur, Dandume, Funtua, Matazu, Dutsin-Ma, Musawa, and Kankara LGAs have suffered repeated attacks. Civilians have been killed, farmers shot in their fields, and entire villages forced to pay levies or have livestock and valuables stolen.”

Defending the policy, Katsina State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasir Muazu, told DCL Hausa that the release is part of ongoing efforts to consolidate peace agreements with “repentant bandits” in frontline local government areas. He cited relative calm in places like Safana, Kurfi, Sabuwa, Faskari, Danmusa, Bakori, Musawa, Matazu, and Dutsinma, where abducted individuals have been freed.

Muazu insisted that the measure aligns with global best practices in conflict reconciliation. However, critics warn that “peace” agreements that tolerate killings, abductions, and illegal levies risk normalizing criminal rule under the guise of reconciliation.

As debate intensifies across social and traditional media, legal experts suggest the matter could soon face judicial review, with stakeholders seeking clarity on whether due process was observed and public safety compromised in the pursuit of temporary peace.