Amid ceaseless peace deals between Katsina council areas and bandits, scores of communities in Kankara council of the state have been sacked by the hoodlums despite the subsisting truce. 
 
The incident reportedly forced thousands to flee their homes. It was learnt that several of the victims fled to internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, and have vowed not to return. 

Dustinma Local Council had struck a similar agreement, making it the 12th to have undertaken the adventure. The council area entered into the deal at the weekend, with several community and traditional leaders, as well as dozens of the bandits, in attendance. 
 
The other councils that have entered into similar deals include Musawa, Jibia, Batsari, Safana, Danmusa, Matazu, Kurfi, Faskari, Kankara, Sabuwa, and Dandume. 
 
During the Dutsinma peace deal, several bandits were seen armed with sophisticated weapons, a situation that raised concerns among observers about the genuineness of the agreement, as no weapons were laid down or surrendered. 
 
Speaking during the peace deal, District Head of Dutsinma, Muhammad Sada, clarified that the agreement aims to provide forgiveness and lasting peace for everyone in the area.  He called on the hoodlums to refrain from taking the law into their own hands and to report any issues to him. 
 
Responding, a leader of the bandits, Kachalla Monore, while itemising conditions for the peace deal, accused some politicians of fuelling the conflict.
 
He pledged that his group would abide by the peace agreement, including the release of abducted persons. On their part, communities in the council area would allow the bandits to freely move around and shop.

REACTING, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), yesterday, criticised the Federal Government for permitting some states in the North-West region to negotiate peace agreements with terrorists, criminal gangs and armed kidnappers.

It stressed that the negotiations undermined and eroded the key elements of Nigeria’s statehood. The group blamed the ‘ambiguities’ of the government on how to deal decisively with armed brutes killing thousands of Nigerians for the expanding frontiers of terrorist attacks and the unprecedented insecurity in many parts of the country. 
  
It said that since the Federal Government is creating the impression that it is open to dialogue with terrorists, more criminals would escalate their activities, hoping that they would merit an invitation for dialogue by the current administration. 

HURIWA holds the position that any public office holder or private individual who negotiates with terrorists is also a terrorist. The body called on President Bola Tinubu to stop surrendering the Nigerian State to the whims and caprices of “a motley crowd of armed bandits, bloodstained terrorists, armed kidnappers and criminal gangs in Katsina and some other states in Northern Nigeria.” 

In a statement by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA reiterated its zero-tolerance for any sort of negotiations with terrorists because that would amount to state surrender. 

Similarly, a human rights lawyer, Bulama Bukarti, also warned that peace talks between communities in Katsina State and armed groups were giving criminals a free platform to display power and spread fear.
 
Recently, two Katsina local councils — Jibia and Batsari — held meetings with bandits, who were seen brandishing dangerous weapons.  Videos and pictures from the gatherings showed that the hoodlums were heavily armed during the so-called peace talks.  

Speaking to the media, Bukarti said the scenes were nothing short of intimidating.   He said: “Bandits are coming out with heavy and dangerous weapons during peace talks, tying them to their bodies, giving speeches, and allowing themselves to be recorded on video.

“They do this deliberately to frighten people. That is exactly what terrorism is — creating fear to achieve political, religious, or ethnic goals.”