Prominent Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has urged government and security agencies to preserve recent truces between communities in Katsina State and leaders of armed groups, calling for a reintegration strategy similar to that used with Niger Delta militants.
Gumi, a long-standing proponent of dialogue as a tool to end banditry, issued the plea following peace talks held in Matazu, Faskari, and Sabuwa local government areas, which reportedly involved several wanted bandit kingpins. In a post on his Facebook page, he warned against actions that could undermine fragile agreements and recommended that former fighters be taught to live peacefully within their communities.
“Alhamdulillah. News has come that today, Sabuwa Local Government has also held a peace settlement with the bandits in the forests to establish peace throughout the entire local government area,” Gumi wrote. “May the security agencies avoid destroying this peace agreement but instead teach them how to live in peace, just as was done with the Niger Delta militants.”
The call for accommodation and reintegration has met strong opposition. Former senator and rights activist Shehu Sani argued that negotiating with violent criminal groups rewards impunity and risks emboldening perpetrators. He pointed to past peace initiatives in Katsina and Zamfara that collapsed despite mediation efforts, saying those failures left communities more vulnerable.
“Bandits who have killed thousands, kidnapped innocent people, and raped women should not be rewarded with dialogue. They should be prosecuted or outrightly eliminated,” Sani said, stressing that justice must be central to any sustainable response.
The debate highlights a wider policy dilemma for Nigerian authorities: whether to prioritise negotiated reintegration to reduce violence and reclaim territory, or to pursue a strictly kinetic and judicial approach aimed at deterrence and accountability.
