Katsina, Nigeria — January 15, 2026
A coalition of civil society organisations in Katsina State has defended the ongoing peace deal with armed bandits, describing it as an effective, community-driven approach that has significantly reduced violence and restored normalcy across several frontline local government areas.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday at the Press Centre of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Katsina State Council, the Civil Society Coalition for Peace in Katsina State said findings from its investigations and testimonies from affected communities indicate that the dialogue-based initiative is yielding positive results.
The coalition rejected criticisms against dialogue and reconciliation, insisting that alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms are globally recognised as effective tools for resolving protracted conflicts. According to the group, the Katsina peace process now serves as a model demonstrating how sustained dialogue can succeed where military force alone has failed.
“It is evident that the peace deal has achieved what guns and drones could not,” the coalition said. “Since the commencement of the process, incidents of kidnapping and violent attacks have reportedly dropped by about 90 per cent.”
The group listed several outcomes attributed to the peace deal, including farmers returning to their farmlands, safer travel on previously dangerous roads, and the reopening of schools and primary healthcare centres. It added that hospitals are now recording fewer cases of gunshot injuries, while internally displaced persons are gradually returning to their ancestral homes.
The coalition also noted that the relative peace has enabled the state government to resume developmental projects that were abandoned due to insecurity. Areas such as Batsari, Jibia, Danmusa and Dutsinma were cited as examples where fear is receding and peaceful coexistence is being restored.
According to the coalition, the initiative has also improved relations between Hausa and Fulani communities, as well as between farmers and pastoralists, fostering renewed trust and social harmony.
Describing the peace deal as “a success, not a failure,” the coalition warned against attempts by what it termed “saboteurs” to undermine the process, urging sustained vigilance to protect the gains recorded so far.
The group called on the Katsina State Government, other northern states and the Federal Government to prioritise non-kinetic, community-based strategies in addressing insecurity nationwide.
It further commended the Katsina State Government under Governor Dikko Umar Radda, PhD, CON, for what it described as proactive security measures, including the establishment of the Security Watch Corps, granting greater autonomy to local governments, and increased investment in education and agriculture.
In its conclusion, the coalition maintained that military force alone cannot end banditry and terrorism, stressing that global experience shows non-kinetic approaches are essential to preventing and resolving violent conflicts.
“Violence begets violence,” the statement concluded.
The press conference was jointly signed by Comrade Shamsudeen Salisu Na Alhaji, Chairman of the Citizens Accountability and Governance Forum; Comrade Bishir Dauda of the Katsina Youth Enlightenment Crusade on Peace and Development; Babangida Mai Kuli Abukur of the RIBACHA Support Group; and Hassan Dogon Fachi Batsari of the Movement for the Restoration of Northern Dignity, Batsari chapter.
