Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda has restated his administration’s position that it will not negotiate with armed bandits, insisting that the government seeks only genuine and sustainable peace built on justice and community participation.
Radda made the declaration on Wednesday during the passing-out ceremony of 100 newly recruited officers of the Community Watch Corps (C-Watch), expanding the security outfit’s operations to 20 of the state’s 34 local government areas.
His comments followed reports of an alleged peace meeting between government officials and bandit groups—claims he dismissed as false. “The headlines say the Katsina State Government is negotiating with bandits, but that is far from reality,” Radda said. “I have publicly maintained that the government will not negotiate with bandits but will always welcome peace.”
The governor explained that the state’s strategy, known as the Katsina Model, was a “fully community-driven approach” that empowers local communities to engage repentant bandits willing to surrender their weapons, while the government provides support and maintains law and order.
“Our focus is to ensure that communities that enjoy peace also benefit socio-economically, giving our people a dignified existence,” Radda said.
He highlighted the gains of the initiative, noting that Jibia had recorded eight months without a major attack, while Batsari had enjoyed seven months of uninterrupted calm. Other local government areas—including Danmusa, Safana, Faskari, and Sabuwa—had also seen a marked reduction in violence, he added.
Radda described the Community Watch Corps as central to the state’s broader strategy to end banditry and restore lasting peace. “When we launched the Corps over two years ago, we were in uncharted territory. The learning curve was steep and uncertainty high. But one thing was clear—our determination to bring an end to banditry in Katsina State,” he said.
The newly graduated officers will be deployed to Kankia and Dutsin-Ma—the latter a hotspot bordering Safana, Danmusa, and Matazu—with 50 personnel assigned to each area.
Radda emphasised that federal security agencies would continue to play a vital role in what he called a “hybrid security architecture,” combining community-based efforts with kinetic operations. “This ceremony is proof that the state government will not relent in fighting insecurity and banditry wherever they exist,” he warned. “Those who return to crime will face the full force of the law.”
He also commended the Nigerian Air Force, Army, and Police for their collaboration, saying improved intelligence sharing and faster response times had strengthened Katsina’s fight against insecurity.
Charging the new recruits to uphold discipline, integrity, and respect for human rights, Radda said, “You are entrusted not only with maintaining security but with representing the shared goals of a peaceful and prosperous Katsina State.”
Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs Nasir Mu’azu praised the initiative as a “homegrown solution” that mobilises young men to defend their communities. “He saw, he analysed, and he conquered—using a community-based approach,” Mu’azu said.
Maj. Gen. Junaidu Bindawa (retd), chairman of the standing committee overseeing the Corps, said the recruits received intensive training in tactics, communication, arrests, and intelligence gathering. He, however, urged improvements in command and control to ensure better coordination and accountability across all levels of the operation.
