Nigerian Security Forces Failed; Bandit Leaders Who Killed Thousands, Raped Women Should Be Eliminated, Not Given Peace Deal – Shehu Sani

A social activist and former federal lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, on Tuesday condemned the recent meeting held with wanted bandit kingpins and a group of armed herders to negotiate peace in Katsina State in North-West Nigeria.

Sani, who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the Senate, said that the bandit gang leaders and bandits should face justice or be “outrightly eliminated” rather than be offered peace agreement.

SaharaReporters on Monday September 15, reported that residents of Katsina State’s Faskari Local Government Area on Sunday hosted a peace meeting with wanted bandit kingpin Ado Alero and a group of armed herders, in a bid to address the region’s worsening insecurity.

A video obtained by SaharaReporters showed the gathering, which was attended by local traditional leaders and dozens of herders, many visibly carrying weapons and ammunition.

Alero, who represented the bandits during the dialogue, said the initiative was not the first of its kind in the area but described the turnout as unprecedented.

He recounted that tensions with security operatives began after the arrest of one of his followers, for which no explanation was given despite appeals to local and state authorities.

He further alleged that security agencies were also responsible for violence against Fulani communities, calling for justice and fairness from both the federal and state governments.

When asked about the meeting, Alero noted that this was not the first peace dialogue held in the Faskari community. He explained that similar peace efforts had also taken place in other parts of Katsina State.

SaharaReporters also reported that barely days after allegedly masterminding a deadly attack that left 32 worshippers dead at the Mantau Mosque in Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina, bandit leader Babaro was seen on Sunday at the peace meeting in Faskari.

The bandits leader, who has for years terrorised communities in Kankara and Malumfashi, has been linked to multiple kidnappings, extortion schemes, and deadly raids.

His ability to appear unchallenged at a high-level peace dialogue has raised serious questions about the state of security and governance in the region.

Peace meetings of this nature have become a recurring strategy in Katsina and other troubled states across Nigeria’s northwest, where banditry and farmer-herder conflicts have left thousands dead and displaced countless families in recent years.

While proponents of dialogue argue that negotiation is essential to ending cycles of violence, critics say granting violent actors legitimacy without justice perpetuates impunity and weakens public trust.

Reacting to the peace meeting in a post on his verified X account (formerly Twitter), Sani wrote, “They are bandits gang leaders who killed and kidnapped thousands in North West Nigeria. They raped women.

“They are supposed to be brought to justice or outrightly eliminated in the theatre of operations, but our security forces repeatedly failed.”

Sani, a long-time commentator on security issues in the north pointed out a repetition of past, unsuccessful dialogue efforts and argued that the scale of atrocities committed by bandit groups rules out negotiation.

His post singled out previous peace efforts in Katsina and Zamfara and referenced well-known mediators involved in past talks.

“Ex-Governor Masari once tried the dialogue option in Katsina, but it failed. Katsina and Zamfara bandits have records of infidelity to agreements, even with the presence of Sheikh Gumi.

“This renewed attempt will be left to be seen.The shedding of innocent blood must come to an end, by any means practicable.”

North-west Nigeria has for years been battered by banditry, raids on villages, mass kidnappings for ransom, and attacks on places of worship and markets, leading to thousands of deaths and large numbers of displaced persons.

Security analysts and international monitors say the conflict is complex, involving criminal networks, competition over resources, and porous borders that allow fighters to regroup.

Recent local peace accords have sometimes produced surrenders or the release of some captives, but critics argue they have at times failed to stop further attacks or to bring leaders to formal justice.

Government responses to peace initiatives have varied by state.

Some governors and traditional leaders have defended negotiated settlements as pragmatic steps to save lives, while others and many civil society figures have warned that deals can embolden fighters and undermine long-term security.