Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina State has admitted that his administration is currently engaging in peace talks with armed bandits operating in parts of the state.
This confirmation comes after years of public debate over whether dialogue was a viable strategy for tackling insecurity in the North-West.
Speaking at the launch of an 18-month European Union-funded initiative, Conflict Prevention, Crisis Response and Resilience (CPCRR), Radda disclosed that peace accords already exist in four local government areas—Jibia, Batsari, Danmusa, and Kurfi—while negotiations are ongoing in two more frontline councils.
According to him, “This project is not a top-down intervention. It is community-owned, locally-led and culturally sensitive. From the onset, we have ensured that community voices, especially those of women, youths and persons with disabilities, are central to planning and implementation. So, the state government has already gone far in this.
“I can assure you that due to this locally made community peace initiative, we are able to resolve crises in four of our frontline local governments out of the eight that we already have, and negotiation is going on in two additional frontline local governments.”
The CPCRR project, being executed by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in partnership with the Centre for Democracy and Development and Mercy Corps, seeks to strengthen peace and socio-economic stability in Katsina and Zamfara states.
Radda explained that the programme also aims to address the root causes of conflict, pointing out that schools and markets have remained shut in several communities, farmlands deserted, and many residents displaced due to “unprecedented security and humanitarian” challenges.
“In Jibia, Batsari, Danmusa, Kankara, Safana, Sabuwa, Faskari, and Dandume Local Governments, our frontline communities, community schools have been closed down, farms abandoned, markets shut down, children have missed education, parents have buried their children, and elders have fled their ancestral homes due to this conflict,” he said.
The governor further highlighted that insecurity is compounded by drought, desertification and shrinking farmland, all of which escalate competition for resources. He also linked rising unemployment and economic stagnation to the worsening crisis, noting, “These are not isolated issues, they are interconnected crises that demand integrated, holistic and community-driven solutions.”
Also speaking, the IOM Chief of Mission, Dimanche Sharon, revealed that the CPCRR project is targeting more than 95,000 residents in Katsina and Zamfara, where over 1.3 million people, including women and children, were displaced as of February 2025.
“Too many families have been displaced, too many farms abandoned, and too many lives disrupted by insecurity. Yet, despite these challenges, the people of Katsina and Zamfara have shown resilience, determination, and the will to rebuild,” Sharon stated.
(PUNCH)
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