Katsina Bandit Leader Frees 28 Victims in Peace Deal

In a rare and welcome development, a notorious bandit kingpin in Katsina State, Isya Akwashi Garwa, has released at least 28 abducted persons in the Faskari Local Government Area, following a peace arrangement with community leaders. The release, which took place on Wednesday, was reportedly done without the payment of any ransom, a significant detail that has been hailed as a success for a reconciliation effort aimed at reducing the incessant violent attacks that have plagued the region. While residents have expressed profound relief at the safe return of their loved ones, the incident has once again brought to the fore the complex and controversial nature of peace deals with armed criminal gangs, and the profound human cost of the banditry crisis in Nigeria’s North-West.

The victims, who are largely residents of Mairua, Kanen-haki, and Yar Dabaru communities, were handed over to local council officials. The bandit commander, Isya Akwashi Garwa, is a high-profile figure, recently declared wanted by the Defence Headquarters as one of the most-wanted criminals in the country. His decision to release the victims is seen by some as a genuine gesture of good faith and a signal of his willingness to embrace a new path. For many communities in Katsina, such a gesture is a “breath of fresh air,” given the relentless siege they have been under for years. Banditry in the North-West has escalated into a full-blown humanitarian crisis, with thousands of lives lost and countless individuals displaced. The violence has crippled the region’s economy, disrupting farming and commerce, and making kidnapping for ransom a lucrative, thriving industry. The socio-economic and psychological damage to these communities is staggering, which explains why they are often forced to take matters into their own hands in the absence of adequate government protection.

However, the history of such peace deals in Katsina and other states in the North-West is fraught with complexity and failure. Previous amnesty programs, such as those implemented under former Governor Aminu Bello Masari, often failed to achieve lasting peace, as they were criticized for being poorly structured and executed. In many cases, the bandits would surrender a few weapons in public ceremonies only to return to their criminal activities. This history of broken trust has led the current Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, to officially maintain a policy of zero negotiations with bandits, even as his government supports “community-driven” reconciliation efforts. This distinction is critical, as it places the burden and risk of such deals on the local leaders and communities, who often feel they have no other choice. Security experts and the Defence Headquarters have consistently warned against negotiating with bandits, arguing that it rewards criminality and emboldens other groups to continue their nefarious activities. They insist that a purely military approach is the only way to crush the criminal enterprise and restore order. .

The decision by Isya Akwashi Garwa to free the victims without collecting ransom is, therefore, a unique point of reference, and community leaders in Faskari have been quick to call for the peace process to be sustained. They have also appealed to Garwa to prevail upon other bandit groups in the region to lay down their arms. This appeal underscores the fragmented nature of banditry, which is not a unified entity but a collection of various, often rival, gangs. The hope of the community is that this single deal could trigger a domino effect of peace. However, even as they express relief, residents have also called for stronger security measures to be put in place to ensure that this fragile peace is not broken. The concerns are not unfounded. The long-term success of such deals requires a comprehensive Disarmament, Demobilisation, and Rehabilitation (DDR) program, which includes skill acquisition and a pathway for repentant bandits to be reintegrated into society. Without this, and without addressing the root causes of the crisis, such as poverty and illiteracy, these short-term peace deals risk being nothing more than a temporary lull before the next wave of violence. For now, the people of Faskari can only pray that this newfound peace holds and that their lives, which have been held hostage for so long, can finally begin to return to a semblance of normalcy.