The Kaduna State Government clarified that its engagement with bandits focuses on education, healthcare, and livelihood opportunities, not cash payments, as part of efforts to end years of killings and kidnappings.

Commissioner for Information, Malam Ahmed Maiyaki, explained at a Peace Journalism workshop that the initiative, known as the Kaduna Peace Model, emphasizes dialogue, socio-economic inclusion, and trust-building rather than confrontation.

• Between 2015 and 2023, Kaduna recorded 1,160 security incidents, resulting in 4,876 deaths and thousands kidnapped or displaced.
• The state, once labeled a “red zone”, is now gradually stabilizing through community engagement, intelligence sharing, and partnerships with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
• More than 500 captives were safely released without ransom or force, while former bandit leaders now serve as community peace mediators.
• Reopened schools, healthcare centers, and markets, along with restored farmland, signal the return of normalcy and economic activity in previously volatile areas.

Maiyaki emphasized that the model is community-owned, ensuring sustainable peace. He noted, “Peace is cheaper, deeper, and more enduring when people have a stake in it,” and stressed that this is an ongoing process, not a one-off truce.