Another Katsina LG Safana signs peace agreement with bandits

Another Katsina LG Safana signs peace agreement with bandits 

 

Safana Local Government Area in Katsina State has become the latest to enter into a peace agreement with armed bandits, joining Jibia, Batsari, and Danmusa LGAs in efforts to de-escalate violence and restore calm to the region.

According to a Daily Trust report, these peace deals aim to reduce insecurity by allowing communities to resume farming and daily life, while granting bandits access to essential services such as markets, hospitals, and shops. The approach, while controversial, has provided relative stability in the areas where such agreements are in place.

Many other frontline LGAs—such as Kankara, Faskari, Dutsinma, Sabuwa, Malumfashi, Kurfi, Bakori, Funtua, and Dandume—have yet to reach similar understandings and continue to suffer from frequent attacks, killings, and kidnappings for ransom.

The Safana agreement was formalized during a peace meeting held on the outskirts of Gemi Forest in Runka town. Present were local officials, traditional leaders, and representatives of the bandits. The Safana LGA Chairman, Abdullahi Sani Safana, led the delegation alongside Yariman Katsina and Head of Safana, Alhaji Sada Rufa’i, as well as the District Head of Zakkah, Alhaji Sani Muhammed Zakka.

Both sides pledged to build trust, reconcile differences, and promote peaceful coexistence across Safana and surrounding areas.

During the meeting, Alhaji Sada Rufa’i expressed optimism about the truce, urging bandit leaders to uphold the agreement in good faith and embrace peace. Representing the bandits, Kachalla Ruga Alhaji Usman called for mutual respect, saying: “Let us live peacefully. Farmers, herders, and everyone should go to their farms and work freely.”

Community leaders, including youth representative Abdulhamid Danda, echoed the call for peace, urging young people from both sides to support the initiative.

LGA Chairman Abdullahi Sani Safana praised the agreement and promised to uphold the dignity of all parties involved. He instructed local education and health authorities to assess and repair schools and clinics serving Fulani herders. He also pledged to ensure their access to markets, hospitals, and basic services, and to renovate dams to support pastoral livelihoods.

The peace agreement includes 20 specific terms and conditions. Chief among them is a commitment from the bandits to end all attacks, killings, and kidnappings, while allowing farmers unrestricted access to their farmlands. In return, local residents are expected not to harass Fulani herdsmen, ensuring they can safely visit towns and access services alongside other citizens.

The success of this initiative will likely be closely watched by neighboring LGAs as they weigh similar strategies to combat the region’s deepening security crisis.