A renewed peace initiative between community leaders and armed groups in Katsina State has resulted in the release of 45 people who had spent months in captivity.
Engr. Abdurrahman Ahmad Kandarawa, the lawmaker representing Bakori Local Government Area in the Katsina State House of Assembly, led the delegation that negotiated with the armed group and facilitated the handover of the victims last Friday.
In a video obtained by Chronicles Reporters, one of the armed men confirmed that the group agreed to release the captives based on mutual assurances reached during the peace talks. He said both sides had kept their word and appealed to security agencies and government authorities to avoid any actions that might jeopardise the fragile understanding in place.
Hon. Kandarawa, who has been at the forefront of community-level mediation, defended the peace pact, comparing it to international ceasefire efforts such as the ongoing attempts at brokering calm between Gaza and Israel.
“Peace agreements exist worldwide to promote coexistence,” he said. “There is nothing wrong with pursuing peace if it guarantees safety and stability for our people.”
The latest development comes amid heightened insecurity across northern Nigeria.
Earlier this week, terrorists stormed Maga Comprehensive Girls’ Secondary School in Kebbi State around 5:52am, abducting an undisclosed number of female students and killing a staff member. A school guard was also injured in the early-morning assault, which residents described as chaotic and terrifying.
Community members told Chronicles Reporters that the attackers have not travelled far with the abducted students, and they are urging authorities to act swiftly to rescue the girls before they are moved deeper into forested hideouts.
In a separate incident, gunmen carried out a deadly attack on Rogun Village in Kpada District of Patigi Local Government Area, Kwara State. The assailants reportedly attacked a police outpost on Sunday night, engaging security operatives in a protracted gun battle.
By the time the shooting ended, a police constable and a community vigilante member had been killed.
The recent surge in attacks has intensified calls for a more coordinated, nationwide strategy to address banditry and terrorism, even as local leaders continue exploring dialogue as a temporary measure to protect their communities.