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In Katsina State, Nigeria, there has been a lot of talk lately about peace deals between local communities and armed bandits. These bandits have caused trouble for years by attacking villages, stealing cattle, and taking people away. Now, some leaders in the area are trying to make agreements to stop the fighting and bring calm back to the people living there. Read Our Last Post: Fresh Fear in Zamfara as Bandits Kidnap 40 Worshippers During Prayers After Peace Deal
Just a few days ago, on 14th September 2025, a big bandit leader named Isiya Kwashen Garwa showed up in a village called Hayin Gada in Faskari Local Government Area. He is one of the 19 most-wanted terrorists in Nigeria, according to the Defence Headquarters. Garwa said he wants to follow a peace deal and stop the bad activities. He came forward as someone who supports talking things out instead of fighting. Security experts like Zagazola Makama shared this news, and it surprised many people.
The Katsina State Government, under Governor Dikko Radda, says they do not make direct deals with the bandits themselves. Instead, they support talks that happen between the communities and the bandits. This way, the local people can feel safer while the army keeps working to catch those who do not want peace. In places like Faskari, people hope this will help farmers go back to their fields without fear.
This is not the first time such deals have happened. Back in February 2025, residents in Jibia Local Government Area sat down with bandits at a place called Kwari village. They talked for a long time and agreed to end the attacks. The bandits even gave up two AK-47 guns and let go of 10 people they had taken from Daddara town. Those kidnapped persons got checked at the hospital right away. Leaders like Alhaji Gide Dahiru helped make the meeting happen through the Jibia People’s Forum.
By April 2025, things moved forward more. As many as 14 bandit groups in Katsina decided to give up their fight. They promised to lay down their weapons and live peacefully in the communities. This came after more talks with local leaders and support from the government.
In August 2025, another agreement took place in Kurfi Local Government Area. On 28th August, community heads met with bandit leaders like Alhaji Usman Kachalla Ruga and others in Wurma forest. The bandits said they would stop the raids and kidnappings. The district head, Alhaji Mansur Amadu Kurfi, and the local chairman, Babangida Abdullahi Kurfi, were there to witness it. Everyone hoped it would last.
But not all these deals have worked out well. Just last week, on 15th September 2025, bandits broke one of the agreements in Zamfara State, which is close to Katsina. They took many worshippers from a mosque, even after promising peace. This has made some people worry that the bandits might not keep their word. Earlier in August, over 50 people died in an attack on a mosque in Gidan Mantau, despite talks in nearby areas.
Across Katsina, places like Safana, Batsari, Jibia, Kankara, Musawa, Danmusa, and Kurfi have all tried these peace pacts this year. The idea is to let people farm and live without always running from danger. But attacks still happen sometimes, like the one on 5th September in Magaji Wando village where eight people lost their lives. The bandits even burned a security vehicle there.
Experts say these deals come from communities that are tired of the violence. The government and army are pushing hard to make sure the bandits follow through. In Kaduna State nearby, the governor welcomed some bandits who wanted to change in November 2024. But past tries, like in Zamfara under a former governor, fell apart after a while when the bandits went back to their old ways.
For now, the fresh news about Garwa accepting peace has given a bit of hope to folks in Katsina. They want to see if it leads to real quiet in the villages. The whole world is watching these efforts because they show how hard it can be to stop fighting in places where people just want to live in safety.
