Alleged ‘Peace Meeting’ between Zamfara, Katsina Govt Officials and Notorious Bandits Sparks Outrage

• The Citizens for Equity and Justice Initiative (CEJI) has condemned the Zamfara and Katsina governments for allegedly attending a  peace meeting in Katsina with wanted bandit kingpin Ado Aleru
• CEJI president Dr Abdulmumin Sarki said the parley betrays victims of northwest banditry and contradicts the governors’ earlier rejection of amnesty deals
• The group urged the National Security Adviser and Inspector‑General of Police to investigate how Aleru moved freely and demanded public explanations from both governors

Katsina - A civil society group, the Citizens for Equity and Justice Initiative (CEJI), has condemned the governors of Zamfara and Katsina states for allegedly holding a peace meeting with Ado Aleru, a notorious bandit leader who has reportedly long been declared wanted by security forces.

According to CEJI, the meeting was held on Saturday, June 14, in the Bichi community, Danmusa LGA of Katsina. It was reportedly attended by traditional rulers, local government officials, representatives of a top security agency, and top officials from both states.

Aleru, who allegedly has a N5 million bounty on his head, has been linked to countless acts of terror and bloodshed in the northwest, with human rights organisations accusing him of orchestrating mass killings, mass kidnappings, and the displacement of thousands. His reemergence, not in handcuffs but at the centre of state-sanctioned negotiations, has sparked outrage across the country.

Meeting with Aleru complete betrayal of Nigerians - CEJI

CEJI, a non-partisan watchdog focused on justice and rule of law, said the presence of state officials and security personnel at a meeting where Aleru was not only welcomed but offered a platform to speak, was a complete betrayal of the Nigerian people and an affront to every citizen who has lost a loved one to bandit violence.

In a statement issued on Friday, June 20, Dr Abdulmumin Sarki, CEJI president, accused governors Dikko Radda of Katsina and Dauda Lawal of Zamfara of hypocrisy and political cowardice.

“These are the same governors who, while campaigning, condemned so-called peace deals with blood-stained warlords,” Sarki said.

“Now in power, they are doing precisely what they once derided — normalising criminals as stakeholders in the governance process, even as tens of thousands of citizens remain unaccounted for due to the very violence these men unleashed.”

You do not negotiate with terrorists in the open - CEJI

Referring to a 2023 report by Amnesty International, which estimated that more than 10,000 Nigerians have been killed and tens of thousands more displaced in the past two years alone as a result of banditry and communal violence in the northwest, CEJI described the peace parley as a “moral collapse of governance”.

“You do not negotiate with terrorists in the open, not when the blood of their victims is still drying, not when they remain armed, wanted, and unrepentant. It is a dangerous precedent that delegitimises state authority and emboldens violent actors,” Sarki added.

Governor Lawal of Zamfara had, in August 2023, publicly ruled out dialogue with bandits, describing such moves as “a failed strategy that has only given criminals more time to regroup and rearm.”

Similarly, Governor Radda had dismissed earlier peace talks under his predecessor as “a misguided approach that rewarded impunity.”

CEJI said both governors must be held to account for clearly contradicting their own policy positions and exposing the public to more insecurity.

NSA Ribadu, IGP Egbetokun asked to intervene

The group called on the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to immediately investigate the circumstances under which Ado Aleru was allowed to surface freely and publicly despite his wanted status.

“It is unacceptable that a man declared wanted since 2020 was able to move around with such impunity, engage state actors, and issue statements without fear of arrest. The implication is that there may be state complicity in shielding these actors, which is a grievous national security breach,” the statement added.

The group also urged the National Human Rights Commission and international partners to investigate the meeting as a possible violation of Nigeria’s obligations under international law.

CEJI further asked the two governors to issue public explanations for their roles in the meeting and to clarify whether their administrations now officially recognise violent non-state actors as peace partners.

Military guns down deadly terrorist leaders

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that troops of Operation Fansan Yanma successfully neutralised a notorious bandit leader, Kachalla Na Faranshi, along with several of his fighters during an aggressive raid in the forests of Zurmi local government area of Zamfara state.

According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert, the terrorists were eliminated when they came in contact with men of the Nigerian Army.

During the recent operation in the forests of Zurmi, security forces engaged Na Faranshi and his men in a fierce gun battle, successfully eliminating him and many of his fighters.

Source: Legit.ng