“Kaduna Governor Opens Up on Peace Talks with Bandits”
Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, has provided insight into his administration’s decision to engage in peace talks with bandits who have long plagued various parts of the state. The decision comes after years of violence in local government areas such as Chikun, Kagarko, Giwa, Kajuru, and Birnin Gwari, where communities have endured killings, abductions, and destruction of property.
In an interview with BBC Hausa, Governor Sani explained that the decision to negotiate was influenced by persistent pleas from residents and traditional leaders who have borne the brunt of the violence. He highlighted how the Emir of Birnin Gwari, alongside his subjects, advocated for dialogue as a way forward after countless failed attempts to quell the violence through military intervention.
“It is the people affected by the violence that called for the dialogue,” Governor Sani explained, adding that consultations with the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and other key figures paved the way for the negotiations. One significant development was the release of 200 abducted individuals from Giwa and Birnin Gwari Local Government Areas, which Governor Sani referred to as a critical turning point in the peace process.
Sani, deeply committed to protecting lives, emphasized the importance of dialogue over violence. “I’d rather negotiate with bandits than to bear the weight of a single life lost in Kaduna,” he remarked. “If not, I will be held accountable on the day of resurrection, having promised and sworn an oath.”
The governor also addressed concerns about the nature of the talks, firmly denying claims that any ransom had been paid to facilitate the negotiations. “Not a single naira was paid to them,” he stated, crediting the success of the talks to the efforts of traditional and religious leaders who played a key role over the course of six months before the initiative became public.
Governor Sani expressed hope for the continued success of the peace talks, citing the return of farming and business activities in areas previously ravaged by the bandits. “They have released our people, and now farming and business activities have resumed. We will continue to pray, and I am assuring that the relative peace we are enjoying now will be sustained,” he concluded.
