… Says deal has freed 1,000 abductees
…Lawyers, CSOs Raise Legal Concerns”
Daud Olatunji
The Katsina State Government has come under intense criticism following plans to secure the release of 70 suspects standing trial for alleged banditry, a move it insists is central to sustaining ongoing peace accords across troubled parts of the state.
Defending the decision, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasir Mu’azu, said the proposed release was part of a broader reconciliation strategy designed to halt years of killings, abductions and violent attacks in several frontline local government areas.
Mu’azu said the peace arrangement, which spans at least 15 local government areas, has already yielded results, including the release of about 1,000 persons abducted by armed groups.
He noted that communities such as Sabuwa, Safana, Kurfi, Faskari, Danmusa, Bakori and Dutsinma have witnessed relative calm since the implementation of the agreement.
According to the commissioner, the arrangement mirrors post-conflict prisoner exchanges adopted in other crisis situations, including Nigeria’s civil war and negotiations with Boko Haram insurgents.
“Across the world, prisoner exchanges usually follow conflicts. This is not unusual. What we are doing is aimed at restoring peace and stability in affected communities,” Mu’azu said.
He maintained that the involvement of the Ministry of Justice and the courts in the process was lawful, adding that aggrieved parties were free to seek redress through legal means.
The controversy, however, deepened after an official document emerged showing that the state government had formally initiated steps to facilitate the suspects’ release.
The document, dated January 2, 2026, and marked “Secret,” was issued by the Katsina State Ministry of Justice and addressed to the Chief Judge of the state.
It sought the intervention of the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee to enable the release of the suspects as part of the peace deal.
Signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Abdur-Rahman Umar, the letter revealed that 48 suspects were being held at various Magistrate Courts, while another 22 were facing trial before different High Courts across the state.
The ministry stated that freeing the suspects was a key condition for the continuation of the peace accord reached between affected local governments and armed groups.
The development has sparked outrage among legal practitioners and civil society organisations, who warned that releasing suspects accused of serious crimes could weaken the justice system and deny victims their right to accountability.
Critics argue that while peace-building efforts are important, negotiating the release of suspects already in custody—some of whom are facing active trials—raises serious constitutional, ethical and security questions that the government must urgently address.
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