From Abdullahi Shugaba, in Katsina
The Governor of Katsina State, Dikko Umaru Radda, has denied report that he has reconsidered his earlier decision not to grant amnesty to bandits, saying that the report on the matter misunderstood the facts.
Dr. Bala Salisu Zango, the Commissioner for Information and Culture in Katsina State made the refutal on behalf of the State Government.
According to a statement titled, “Rejoinder: “Radda makes U-turn, Offers Amnesty to Bandits Seeking Peace”, Dr. Zango said the attention of the Katsina State government has been drawn to a publication by Daily Trust Newspapers with the headline “Radda makes U-turn, Offers Amnesty to Bandits Seeking Peace”.
“The Katsina State Government, under Governor Dikko Umaru Radda, PhD, CON wish to dismiss the report, which claimed the state Governor had made a “u-turn to offer amnesty to bandits”, the Information Commissioner said.
He said the state government still maintains its state policy of non-negotiation with criminal elements, adding that the position remains unchanged.
“However, governance is dynamic, the state is not dogmatic in the implementation of it’s policies,” he said.
“The publication likely referred to recent speech delivered by His Excellency Governor Malam Dkko Radda, PhD, CON in Jibia local government while commissioning about one hundred and fifty housing units for the IDPs affected by insecurity.”
He said the Newspaper reporter quoted the governor out of context, suggesting that he might have misunderstood the concepts of amnesty and negotiation.
Zango explained that Amnesty is an official pardon or forgiveness granted by a government for past repenting criminal offenses.
His words: “The state government wish to clarify that, it has been the policy of the state to accept into the larger society any bandit who decided to willingly lay down arms,
“While negotiation, on the other hand, is the process of discussion and bargaining between opposing parties to reach a mutually beneficial agreement.
“Had the state Governor said the state is willing to negotiate with bandits, then the Newspapers can reportedly claim the Governor makes a u-turn.”
He said the State Government considered the headline “makes a u-turn” as improper.
He added: “It important to note that, since the inception of this administration in 2023, Katsina State government has been fighting banditry from the kinetic approach with the employment of over three thousand (3,000) community watch corps, deployed to various LGAs affected by banditry this has impacted positive results.
“Governor Radda’s administration is people-centred government. Any Responsible government ought to support the yearning and aspirations of its people. Communities came up with local peace initiatives.
“It is on this premise government felt the need to allow local Authorities and Community leaders to engage with bandits over peace deals.
“This Non-Kinetic approach is what the state referred to as ” community-driven peace deal Model,” a peace agreement initiated and executed by Local Authorities and Community leaders. The efficacy of this model has yielded positive results.
“Currently most of our frontline LGAs of Jibia, Batsari, Safana, Danmusa, Kankara, Faskari Dandume and Sabuwa enjoy relative peace between 70% – 90%.
“Moreover, the vulnerable LGAs of Batagarawa, Kurfi, Dutsinma, Charanchi and Kafur now enjoy relative peace without attack for over 18 months.
“However, there are off course few cases of attacks in some parts of Kankara, Matazu and Musawa LGA, mostly by bandits from the neighbouring states.
“All previous peace deals reported at the local government level were often local community-driven efforts to reduce immediate violence and were not part of any formal state-sponsored amnesty policy.
“However, the Governor Radda has consistently emphasized his administration’s use of kinetic and Non-kinetic strategy to restore order, rather than returning to the negotiation table with unrepentant bandits in the state,” the Commissioner said.
The Katsina State Government argues that negotiating from a position of weakness only emboldens criminals, considering failures of previous negotiation attempts, he said.
