At Katsina Peace Deal, Bandits Accuse Government of Fueling Insurgency

A group of bandits in Katsina State has accused the government of complicity in the ongoing insecurity, claiming political interests and official negligence have prolonged the crisis.

The claims were made during a “peace agreement” meeting between community leaders, council chairmen from Charanchi and Batagarawa local government areas, and representatives of armed groups.

Speaking at the meeting, one of the bandits alleged that government decisions contributed to the spread of banditry.

> “It was the government that encouraged us to take up arms. Now they’ve told us to stop, and by God’s grace, we have stopped from today,” he said.



He further claimed that the government has the capacity to end insecurity if it truly desires peace.

> “We’ve tried to initiate peace talks for two months, but officials ignored us. Peace depends on the Nigerian leaders. If they want peace, we’ll cooperate, if not, the attacks will continue,” he added.



Customs Officer Killed in Kebbi Attack

In a separate development, suspected Lakurawa terrorists attacked a Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) checkpoint in Kaoje, Bagudo Local Council of Kebbi State, killing one officer and setting the camp ablaze.

Local sources said the assailants, who arrived on motorcycles, stormed the facility on Saturday night and opened fire before fleeing toward the border forests. As of press time, neither the NCS nor the Kebbi State government had issued an official statement.

Conflict analyst Bakatsine confirmed the incident on X (formerly Twitter), noting it occurred just days after another major attack in the same area.

Nasarawa Governor Urges Calm, Tougher Action

Meanwhile, following the recent attack on Sarkin Noma community in Keana Local Council of Nasarawa State, Governor Abdullahi Sule has appealed for calm and pledged decisive action against bandits.

In a statement issued by his Senior Special Adviser on Public Affairs, Peter Ahemba, the governor condemned the killings, describing them as acts of “enemies of peace.”

> “The state government will not allow criminals to disrupt the relative peace achieved under Governor Sule’s administration. Security agencies have been directed to arrest and prosecute those responsible,” the statement read.


Sokoto LG Chairman Denies Inaction

In Sokoto State, the Chairman of Isa Local Council, Shareef Abubakar Kamarawa, has denied allegations of ignoring early warnings before a bandit attack that left six people dead and several abducted in Bargaja village.

Kamarawa described the claims as false and misleading, saying the council acted promptly upon receiving intelligence about suspicious movements in the area.

> “We immediately mobilised local vigilantes and informed security agencies for quick intervention,” he stated.

The recent developments highlight the continuing insecurity in Nigeria’s northwest, despite several peace efforts and government assurances of decisive action.