In a significant step towards restoring peace, community leaders in Kurfi Local Government Area of Katsina State have signed a peace agreement with bandit leaders responsible for years of killings, kidnappings, and cattle rustling. The historic peace meeting was held on Thursday inside Wurma Forest, one of the region’s most notorious hotspots for insecurity.
The accord was spearheaded by the Maradin Katsina and District Head of Kurfi, Alhaji Mansur Amadu Kurfi, and the local government chairman, Hon. Babangida Abdullahi Kurfi. District Head Amadu Kurfi described the agreement as a new chapter for the community and urged bandit leaders to appoint traditional heads among themselves to ensure accountability.
Bandit commanders including Alhaji Usman Kachalla Ruga, Sani Muhindinge, Yahaya Sani (popularly known as Hayyu), and Alhaji Shu’aibu pledged to abandon violence, cease killings, kidnappings, and cattle rustling, and assured farmers they could safely return to their farms. They declared, “From today, we drop our weapons of violence. We want peace, and we will release the people in our custody.”
The council chairman hailed the accord as the beginning of lasting peace, promising efforts to rehabilitate schools, hospitals, and ensure fair treatment of detained members. Fulani herders were also assured freedom of movement and business without harassment.
The meeting saw participation from traditional rulers, elders, and residents most affected by the violence, all leaving with renewed hope for a peaceful future. Kurfi now joins Jibia, Batsari, Safana, and Danmusa as the fifth local government area in Katsina to enter peace negotiations with bandits.