The Chairman of Faskari Local Government Area in Katsina State, Hon. Surajo Aliyu Daudawa, has secured the release of 26 kidnapped victims after direct negotiations with a group of armed bandits in the forest.
According to report, the victims, abducted from the Tafoki community, were freed on Sunday following intense talks led by a notorious bandit leader, Isiya Kwashen Garwa.
Eyewitnesses said Daudawa personally entered the forest to meet the armed group despite repeated warnings from Nigerian security authorities against engaging bandits in peace talks.
Photographs from the negotiation scene showed Daudawa standing beside Garwa, who appeared fully armed, with weapons visibly tucked into his jacket.
Faskari Local Government Area is one of the hardest-hit regions in Katsina State, suffering repeated attacks, kidnappings, and raids in recent years.
Security analysts have warned that such face-to-face negotiations could undermine ongoing military operations and embolden the criminals.
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has previously cautioned Nigerians against holding peace talks with terrorists or armed bandits, saying the efforts often backfire.
General Musa, speaking recently in an interview conducted in Hausa, said peace deals with criminal groups have consistently failed and only provided them time to regroup and strengthen their operations.
He stressed that such negotiations, though seemingly peaceful, tend to expose communities to further danger.
“Those who attempt to make peace with bandits are putting their lives and communities at risk,” he warned.
The Defence Headquarters has repeatedly maintained that Nigeria’s military strategy remains focused on eliminating terrorism and banditry through coordinated operations rather than dialogue.
Meanwhile, the release of the 26 hostages has sparked mixed reactions. Some residents of Faskari praised the council chairman’s courage, describing his action as a humanitarian intervention.
Others, however, condemned the approach, warning that it might encourage more abductions in the future.
Authorities are yet to confirm whether any ransom was paid to secure the hostages’ freedom.
Katsina remains one of the North-West states worst affected by armed banditry, with hundreds of residents displaced or killed since 2023.