Nigeria TV Info 

Amnesty Deal Sparks Outrage as Katsina Moves to Release 70 Bandits

Public anger is mounting across Katsina State following reports that the state government is preparing to release about 70 suspected bandits under a fresh amnesty and deradicalization programme. According to security sources, the suspects, who were arrested during joint military and police operations in forest communities, are undergoing screening and rehabilitation as part of a peace initiative aimed at ending years of violent attacks, kidnappings and cattle rustling in the North-West.

However, civil society groups, victims’ associations and opposition figures have strongly criticized the move, describing it as a reward for criminality. They argue that communities devastated by banditry deserve justice and compensation rather than the reintegration of suspects without transparent trials. Some residents fear that released bandits could return to the forests and resume attacks.

State officials, on their part, insist the amnesty programme is designed to weaken armed groups by encouraging defections, reducing violence and restoring stability. They maintain that beneficiaries will be closely monitored and provided with vocational training to support reintegration. As debate intensifies, security experts are calling for stricter oversight, clear conditions and victim-centered approaches to prevent abuse of the initiative.