Leaders of armed Fulani groups in Katsina State have pledged to embrace peace following a meeting with representatives from Charanci and Batagarawa Local Government Areas.
The peace dialogue, held on Saturday, November 8, in Wurma town of Kurfi Local Government Area, brought together traditional rulers, community leaders, and security representatives.
First Daily correspondent observed that peace meetings of this nature have become a recurring event in Katsina, often taking place monthly. Despite these dialogues, bandit attacks have persisted across parts of the state and other areas in northern Nigeria.
According to a post by a security analyst and counter-insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, on Sunday, several participants believed to be bandit leaders attended the meeting visibly armed, raising concerns about the sincerity of the peace process.
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The Chairmen of Batagarawa and Charanci LGAs, alongside local stakeholders, reportedly urged the armed groups to lay down their weapons and reintegrate into society.
However, many residents expressed skepticism about the outcome, citing repeated breaches of previous peace agreements by the same groups.
This development comes amid a fresh wave of insecurity and attacks across Katsina and other northern states, prompting renewed calls for a coordinated approach to addressing the crisis.