Katsina State authorities have secured the release of 37 residents of Bakori Local Government Area who were abducted days before a locally brokered peace agreement, bringing the total number of freed villagers under the arrangement to 82.
The release took place on Friday in a tense handover overseen by Hon. AbdulRahman Ahmad Kandarawa, member representing Bakori Constituency in the Katsina State House of Assembly, and the Chairman of Bakori LGA. Eyewitnesses and images from the handover showed government officials in the company of armed men, with some of the released residents seen sitting on the ground as officials stood alongside the group.
The release was facilitated by peace intermediary Isya Kwashen Garwa, who reportedly brokered the agreement between local authorities and the gunmen operating in Bakori and surrounding communities. According to Kandarawa, the abducted villagers, held in Sabe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, were released without ransom following sustained negotiations with the bandits.
“Today, through the grace of God, we have finally received our people who were held captive. Insha Allah, they are back, and none is left in their hands,” Kandarawa said. The released hostages include 17 women, two infants, and 18 men.
Kandarawa emphasised that the bandits had promised to release the captives if the community maintained peace, a commitment they fulfilled. He appealed to citizens to embrace harmony: “It is everybody’s business. If we have offended anyone, we will amend, just to live in peace.” He also thanked the bandits for adhering to their word, stressing that no ransom was paid.
While the peace arrangement facilitated the release, Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda has denied direct negotiations with the bandits, describing the initiative as a community-driven effort. He applauded the truce and celebrated the restoration of peace in the state.
The handover follows days of behind-the-scenes negotiations aimed at preventing further attacks in Bakori, an area that has experienced repeated raids, killings, and mass abductions in recent months. Neither the state government nor security agencies have issued an official statement on the negotiation, prompting questions about transparency and accountability in engaging armed groups.