A peace dialogue held in Batagarawa and Charanchi LGAs, Katsina State, has come under scrutiny after reports suggested that some of the “bandits” at the event were actually locals hired to pose as armed criminals.

Key points:

• Witnesses and social media reports (notably from security analyst @DanKatsina50) indicated that several armed men admitted they were not real bandits but had been provided guns and instructed to attend the meeting.
• The event was convened by local government officials and attended by the Batagarawa LGA chairman, traditional leaders, and community representatives.
• Questions were raised about the credibility of the dialogue, including why actual bandit commanders were absent and why only unfamiliar young men appeared.
• Critics, including Bakatsine, urged the Katsina State Government, led by Governor Dikko Umar Radda, to prevent such unproductive gatherings in the future.

The revelations cast doubt on the effectiveness of the peace talks and highlight challenges in tackling banditry and security issues in the region.