Katsina LG allegedly budgets N300m to pay bandits in 2026

A senior member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused a local government authority in Katsina State of planning to channel hundreds of millions of naira to suspected bandits in the 2026 fiscal year.

Dr Mustapha Inuwa, an ADC chieftain in the state, claimed that one council had allegedly earmarked N300 million in its draft budget to meet financial demands linked to armed groups operating within its territory.

According to Inuwa, the alleged allocation is not an isolated case.

He said several local governments battling insecurity reportedly make recurring payments, sometimes amounting to millions of naira each month, to individuals believed to be involved in banditry.

He expressed concern that such spending continues despite a widely publicised community-led peace arrangement said to cover 18 local government areas across the state.

“It is difficult to justify pouring public resources into private settlements while communities remain underdeveloped,” Inuwa said.

“If peace has truly been achieved, there should be no justification for these payments.”

Inuwa, who served as Secretary to the State Government under former governor Aminu Bello Masari, questioned the long-term value of the peace deal, arguing that violent attacks have not abated in key parts of the state.

He pointed to recent incidents in Kankara, Malumfashi and Jibia local government areas, where fatalities were recorded, several residents sustained injuries, and dozens were reportedly abducted.

Furthermore, the ADC chieftain criticised what he described as contradictions in the state government’s security posture, particularly the reported release of detained bandits despite official claims of refusing negotiations.

“The government repeatedly insists it does not negotiate with bandits,” he said.

“Yet actions on the ground suggest a different reality, and communities are left confused and fearful.”

Inuwa warned that releasing convicted or suspected bandits could deepen insecurity, noting that some communities remain traumatised by the prospect of their return.

Drawing from his experience overseeing earlier amnesty programmes, he argued that such initiatives often fail because beneficiaries eventually relapse into criminal activities.

He also raised alarm over the unintended consequences of the current peace deal, saying it has given armed groups detailed knowledge of communities they once attacked from afar.

“Bandits now understand the terrain, the people and even individual households,” he said.

“If the agreement collapses, the consequences could be far more devastating than before.”

Inuwa concluded that a lasting solution to banditry would require coordinated action among Katsina and neighbouring states, rather than fragmented security strategies.

He stressed that all affected states must align their approaches, warning that inconsistent use of force and dialogue across state lines continues to undermine regional security efforts.