It's A Dangerous Precedent – Katsina Govt Faces Backlash Over Planned Release Of 70 Suspected Bandits

The Katsina State Government’s plan to secure the release of 70 suspects standing trial for alleged banditry has sparked widespread criticism nationwide.

According to an official letter dated January 2 and marked “SECRET,” the government reportedly requested the intervention of the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee, ACJMC, to facilitate the release of the suspects.

The document, said to be addressed to the Chief Judge of the state, cited Section 371(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Katsina, 2021, and described the move as a condition for sustaining peace accords signed between frontline local government areas and armed groups.

The directive has prompted outrage from legal practitioners, civil society organisations, victims’ families, and members of the public, who argue that releasing individuals accused of serious crimes undermines the rule of law and denies justice to victims.

Critics warn that such actions could embolden criminal networks rather than deter them.

Abdullahi Kofar Sauri of the Network for Justice described the plan as “a dangerous precedent,” urging the government to consider compensation and justice for victims’ families instead of freeing suspects.

Security analyst, Yahuza Getso added that the move “lacks sincerity” and could weaken community trust in state security strategies.

Defending the policy, the state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasir Muazu, told DCL Hausa that the release was part of efforts to consolidate community-driven peace agreements with “repentant bandits” in several local government areas.

He said the accords had already brought relative calm to areas including Safana, Kurfi, Sabuwa, Faskari, Danmusa, Bakori, Musawa, Matazu, and Dutsinma, where abducted persons were freed.

Muazu argued that the move aligns with global best practices for reconciliation in conflict situations.

It was gathered that similar decisions by the Nigerian government have failed, as bandits and terrorists who enjoyed previous freedoms soon returned to the trenches.

Security analyst and crisis journalist, Bakatsine warned via his X handle that releasing detained bandits without accountability could reinforce criminal networks.

He wrote:

“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 on their fields, villages forced to pay millions in levies, and entire communities raided for cattle and valuables.

“Many of these attacks receive little or no national attention, creating the false impression that banditry has ended. It has not. The violence has simply changed form.”

Residents and observers note that peace agreements often reflect desperation rather than genuine consent.

They warn that a “peace” allowing abductions, killings, and illegal levies is effectively a criminal rule disguised as reconciliation.

As debate intensifies across social and traditional media, legal experts say the matter could soon be subject to judicial review, with stakeholders seeking clarity on whether due process was followed and whether public safety is being compromised in the name of peace.