A FRESH controversy has erupted in Katsina State following allegations that a local government council earmarked ₦300 million in its 2026 budget to pay suspected bandits, despite repeated assurances by Governor Dikko Umaru Radda that his administration does not negotiate with criminal groups.
News Point Nigeria report that the allegation was made by a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the state, Dr Mustapha Inuwa, who claimed that the allocation was part of a broader pattern in which several local councils affected by insecurity allegedly make monthly payments running into millions of naira to bandits.
Inuwa, a former Secretary to the State Government under ex-Governor Aminu Bello Masari, raised concerns over what he described as the diversion of scarce public resources to criminal elements under the guise of maintaining peace.
“There is a local government in Katsina State that has earmarked the sum of ₦300 million for bandits in its 2026 budget,” he alleged in an interview.
“Government also gives money to bandits monthly, and this is despite the so-called peace deal with bandits,” he added.
He questioned the sustainability of the community-initiated peace deals reportedly adopted in 18 local government areas, arguing that daily attacks in parts of the state suggest the approach has failed to deliver long-term security.
Inuwa also expressed concern over reports that dozens of convicted and suspected bandits were being allowed to regain freedom, wondering why such steps were being taken when the state government has consistently insisted it would not negotiate with bandits.
The allegations come amid sustained debate over Katsina’s security strategy, particularly the state’s reliance on community-driven peace accords alongside kinetic military operations.
Governor Radda has repeatedly denied claims that his administration is negotiating with bandits. He reaffirmed this position during the inauguration and passing-out ceremony of 100 newly trained officers of the Katsina State Community Watch Corps (C-Watch), who will be deployed to 20 of the state’s 34 local government areas.
“The headlines say the Katsina State Government is negotiating with bandits, but that is far from reality,” Radda said.
“I have publicly maintained that the government will not negotiate with bandits but will always welcome peace,” he added.
The governor described what he called the “Katsina Model” as a community-driven peace initiative that allows affected communities not the government to initiate dialogue with repentant bandits willing to lay down their arms.
According to him, the state’s role is limited to encouraging peace, supporting lawful reconciliation efforts, and ensuring socio-economic development in communities that embrace peace.
Radda cited improvements in security in several areas as evidence of progress, noting that Jibia Local Government Area had recorded eight months without a major attack, while Batsari had enjoyed seven months of uninterrupted peace.
He added that Danmusa, Safana, Faskari, and Sabuwa local government areas had also witnessed relative calm since adopting the initiative.
The governor further stressed that kinetic operations by federal security agencies remain central to the state’s security architecture.
“This ceremony is proof that the state government will not relent in fighting insecurity and banditry wherever they exist. Those who wish to return to crime will face the full force of the law,” he warned.
The newly graduated Community Watch Corps officers will be deployed to Kankia and Dutsin-Ma local government areas, with 50 officers assigned to each. Dutsin-Ma remains one of the epicentres of banditry in Katsina, sharing borders with Safana, Danmusa, and Matazu.
Earlier, Governor Radda had also commended the Nigerian Army, Air Force, and Police for their sacrifices in defending Katsina and other frontline states, describing the armed forces as the backbone of Nigeria’s security architecture.
He said his administration had prioritised collaboration with security agencies through logistics support, intelligence sharing, and community engagement to strengthen operations against bandits.
While the state government insists it does not negotiate or pay bandits, Inuwa’s claims have intensified scrutiny of Katsina’s peace initiatives and raised questions about transparency and accountability at the local government level.