CNG rejects Katsina govt’s move to release 70 bandits
The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has strongly rejected moves by the Katsina state government to release 70 bandits currently in custody under the guise of a peace deal.
The CNG condemned the move, saying the approach undermines justice, security and authority of the state.
In a statement on Tuesday by its national coordinator, Comrade Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi, the coalition said though there is the urgent need to end the ongoing bloodshed, kidnappings and destructions in the state and North-west, the approach will not work, because any peace effort founded on appeasement and judicial compromise is neither sustainable nor just.
It faulted the state government’s comparison of bandits’ release to wartime prisoner exchanges, describing the argument as deeply flawed, misleading, and dangerous.
“The comparison drawn by the Katsina state government between the release of bandits and wartime prisoner exchanges is deeply flawed, misleading, and dangerous. Nigeria is not engaged in a conventional war with a recognised adversary bound by rules of engagement.
“Bandits are criminal terrorists who have murdered citizens, razed communities, raped women, displaced families and destabilised rural economies. Treating them as equal negotiating partners without first breaking their capacity to inflict violence undermines the authority of the state.”
The CNG averred that dialogue with terrorists should be done only when government demonstrates overwhelming capacity to defeat the criminals.
“CNG is not opposed to dialogue or reintegration in principle; however, history and basic security logic are clear that negotiations with violent groups must only take place after the state has demonstrated overwhelming capacity to defeat them. Peace must be negotiated from a position of strength, not weakness.
“This approach by Katsina state government sends a dangerous signal that violence pays, justice is negotiable and the state lacks resolve. Equally troubling is the silence of the government on the fate of victims and their families. Thousands of citizens have lost loved ones to bandit attacks.
“Homes were burnt, farms destroyed and entire communities displaced. Many victims and witnesses risked their lives to cooperate with law enforcement agencies and testify in court. Releasing suspects or convicts without transparent truth-telling, judicial closure, restitution, and meaningful compensation amounts to a betrayal of these victims and a grave injustice to society.
“The timing of this decision further raises serious concerns. The proposed release of bandits is coming amid a resurgence of attacks and killings in parts of Katsina state, including Malumfashi local government area.
“This reality alone exposes the fragility and inconsistency of the peace deals being defended. If the agreements are effective, communities should not still be under siege. If bandits are truly repentant, violence should not persist. These contradictions demand honest answers,” it noted.
The coalition therefore, called on the federal government and relevant security agencies to urgently coordinate efforts to tackle banditry and terrorism across northern Nigeria.
It said Katsina state government should immediately suspend any plan to release the bandits in custody, and fully respect judicial processes, including ongoing trials and sentences.
