Concerns have been raised over viral reports suggesting that the Katsina State government is set to open literacy classes for repentant bandits and terrorists.

Critics are calling for the immediate intervention of federal security agencies, including the Nigerian Army, Police, and Department of State Services (DSS), to ensure that justice is upheld.

According to the National Coordinator of Human Rights Writers Association (HURIWA), Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, there is no constitutional basis for granting amnesty or pardons to individuals involved in terrorist activities, particularly when such acts include mass murder, destruction of property, and sustained attacks against the Nigerian state.

“It is imperative that the Nigerian government recognises that terrorism and banditry are direct attacks on the sovereignty and stability of the nation,” one concerned analyst stated. “No governor or public office holder has the legal right to exonerate those who have committed crimes of this magnitude.”

He argued that while efforts to deradicalise or educate offenders may play a role in long-term counterterrorism strategies, such steps should not precede legal accountability. “If the Katsina State Governor or any official wishes to introduce literacy programs, that should come after, not before, the suspects have been prosecuted and sentenced according to the law,” Onwubiko added.

Citing the severity of the crimes involved, he called for capital punishment, noting that Nigerian law prescribes the death penalty for certain categories of murder and terrorism-related offenses.
Former Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Dennis Amachree, also weighed in, offering a more nuanced perspective on rehabilitation efforts.

He acknowledged that the remote causes of banditry and terrorism, such as illiteracy, unemployment, and lack of economic opportunities, must be addressed as part of a comprehensive long-term strategy.

“If illiteracy and economic disenfranchisement are drivers of violent extremism, then opening literacy classes for bandits could be part of a holistic rehabilitation and reintegration program,” Amachree said. “However, the public scepticism about seemingly ‘rewarding’ criminals is valid and must be taken seriously.”

He further stressed the importance of ensuring genuine repentance before any reintegration efforts are considered.

“There have been disturbing reports of so-called ‘repentant’ bandits returning to taunt their victims or even rejoining armed camps,” Amachree warned.

To be effective, he argued, such programs must be well-designed and rigorously monitored, with clear benchmarks for psychological rehabilitation, accountability, and civic reorientation.

“The goal should be to transform these individuals into contributors to lasting peace and security in Katsina State and beyond,” he noted.