VIEWPOINT.
By Bala Salisu Zango, PhD
When people or their loved ones are not victims of crimial activities of the armed bandits groups, they see flaws in every effort and step taken to reduced the level of banditry and kidnappings happening in many communities of katsina state.
This piece is not an official statement, rather is a personal opinion of the writer.
For the last two or three days, there have been media reports and social media commentaries over a letter said to have been written by Katsina State Government requesting for the release of about fifty (50) arrested suspected bandits, as part of a local peace agreement intended to swap over one thousand (1,000) captives held by bandits groups operating in some Local Government Areas of the state.
Peace deals, where local communities or even authorities negotiate with armed groups to recover hostages have been used in many parts of the world facing prolonged war, banditry, kidnapping or any other form of conflict.
Several countries and entities have engaged in exchanging captives with terrorist or armed groups.
American Government for example while maintaining an official policy of not negotiating with terrorists, past administrations have engaged in exchanges for detained citizens with countries like Iran and the Taliban and in one time exchange war captives with Alqa'ida Islamists terrorists group as a fall out to peace agreement.
Israel also, has a history of engaging in significant prisoner swaps with groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, often releasing hundreds or over a thousand Palestinian prisoners in exchange for a few Israeli soldiers or civilians, or even bodies.
The 2011 Gilad Shalit exchange (one Israeli soldier for 1,027 prisoners) is a prominent example.
European Nations like France, Spain have reportedly paid ransoms for the release of journalists and aid workers captured by groups like the Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria, despite official stances against negotiation.
The Lebanese army has conducted prisoner swaps with groups such as the al-Nusra Front.
Similarly, Nigerian Government has in one time released arrested suspected members of the Boko Haram terrorists group in exchange of Chibok girls.
Therefore, katsina community initiative swap deal should not be seen as illegal or unlawful.
Katsina state has for long been one of the states in the North-West Region facing crisis of banditry and kidnapping. We have all seen horrifying pictures and videos of people in captivity including women and children being molested by armed bandits demanding for ransom.
I think every right thinking person will support this community driven swap deal.
We are all living witnesses to how the administration of Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, PhD, CON is committed to exploring all lawful options (either Kinetic or Non-kinetic) to ensure that communities in Katsina State live in peace and sleep with their two eyes closed.
Why the swap deal?
Someone may ask why the swap deal? It should be recalled that some few months back, bandits groups operating in some front line and vulnerable Local Governments of Katsina state, approached local community leaders and authorities demanding for peace accord.
After wider consultations, deliberations and discussions, the local community leaders accepted the bandits demands for peace deal with various conditions and agreements.
Among the conditions for the peace deal is swap of captives. This peace deal yielded positive results as normalcy and peace was restored in all communities that signed the peace accord.
The bandits group kept to their promises and released over one thousand hostages from the following local Governments Areas: Safana, Kurfi Faskari, Sabuwa, Danmusa, Malumfashi Musawa, Matazu,Jibia,
Bakori and Dutsinma.
This justifies why, when local community leaders including Traditional Rulers approached the state government to facilitate the release of the suspected arrested bandits, government having considered all legal and judicial processes demanded for the release of the suspected bandits. It is my believe that, the state government decision and action is lawful and in accordance with the rule of law, aimed at supporting the local communities fulfill their own apart of agreement as condition to the peace accord.
We all belive that, like I stated earlier, the peace deal has yielded positive results as certain level of normalcy and peace has returned to many communities. There have been growth in local economy as some Markets, like those of Danmusa and Batsari have reopened. Moreover, many communities have returned to their homes and harvested their farm produce.
People should not politicize security issues for a selfish political ends. How will one feels if his brother or sister is estranged in captivity and someone opposes a swap deal to release him or her?
Rather than accusing government of supporting local communities that engaged in peace deal with bandits. Let us all support the efforts and measures being taken by the administration of Governor Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, PhD, CON to secure the state out of banditry and kidnapping so that we live in peace.
May peace continue to reign in Katsina State and in our country Nigeria.
