KATSINA, Nigeria, Oct 13 (Katsina Times)
Local government chairmen and leaders of armed groups in southern Katsina State held rare face-to-face peace talks on Sunday in a bid to end years of deadly violence that have devastated communities across Nigeria’s northwest.
The meeting, held in Kakumi town on Oct. 12, brought together representatives from Funtua, Malumfashi, Kafur, Kankara and Bakori local government areas, as well as traditional rulers, clerics and community elders.
Armed group commanders, including Alhaji Ado Aleru, Babaro and Alhaji Isiya Kwashen-garwa, attended the dialogue — one of the most direct engagements yet between local authorities and insurgent leaders in Katsina, a region long plagued by banditry, mass abductions and cattle rustling.
Bakori Local Government Chairman, Abubakar Musa Barde, who hosted the meeting, described the initiative as “a turning point” in efforts to rebuild trust between Hausa and Fulani communities. “We are like liver and blood that cannot be separated,” he said, urging reconciliation and forgiveness.
Abdurrahman Ahmad Kandarawa, a member of the Katsina State House of Assembly representing Bakori Constituency, said the peace accord involved no financial negotiations. “There were no payments or incentives. Our goal is to restore security and rebuild relationships,” he told reporters after the meeting.
Traditional leaders, including Justice Sadiq Mahuta, the Galadiman Katsina and District Head of Malumfashi, called for sustained dialogue, adding that peace could only last if both sides commit to mutual respect and justice.
During the talks, Bakori’s Director of Education and Social Development, Ibrahim Nasir Kere, appealed to the armed groups to release all kidnapped victims as a gesture of goodwill.
Responding, one of the armed commanders, Bello Aleru, said previous clashes with security forces had deepened mistrust. “We want fairness and sincerity from the government,” he said. Another leader, Alhaji Isiya Kwashen-garwa, acknowledged that many fighters took up arms over perceived injustices but expressed readiness to disarm and reconcile.
He urged other armed factions still in the forests to join the peace process instead of continuing attacks.
The meeting ended with prayers for stability and a renewed commitment to free all abducted persons still in captivity.
