Barely days after the Katsina State Government reportedly initiated moves to secure the release of at least 70 suspected terrorists, bandits on Wednesday night attacked Yar Tafki community in Funtua Local Government Area of the state, killing residents and abducting several others.
Sources told SaharaReporters that the attack occurred despite two separate peace agreements earlier reached between stakeholders in Funtua Local Government Area and armed groups operating in the area.
The incident was confirmed on Thursday through a security alert issued by a Katsina-based security expert, Malam Bakatsine.
Katsina State remains one of the major flashpoints of banditry in Nigeria’s North-West region, with rural communities frequently subjected to killings, kidnappings and extortion, despite ongoing military operations and local peace initiatives.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Katsina State Government nor security agencies had issued an official statement on the attack.
The latest incident comes amid growing controversy over the state government’s reported effort to secure the release of dozens of suspected bandits currently facing criminal trials. SaharaReporters had earlier reported that an official document surfaced showing that the government initiated steps to facilitate the release of the suspects as part of a peace deal.
The document, a “SECRET” letter dated January 2, 2026, was issued by the Katsina State Ministry of Justice and addressed to the state’s Chief Judge. Signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Abdur-Rahman Umar, Esq., the letter requested the intervention of the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee (ACJMC) to enable the release of the suspects.
According to the letter, the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs forwarded a list of 48 individuals accused of various banditry-related offences to the Ministry of Justice. It stated that their proposed release was a condition for sustaining peace accords signed between frontline local government areas and armed groups.
The document further revealed that while some of the suspects had been arraigned before the Federal High Court, many others were awaiting trial at Magistrate Courts across the state. It also disclosed that an additional list of about 22 inmates facing trial at various High Courts in Katsina State had been submitted for release under the same arrangement.
The Ministry urged the Chief Judge to take necessary action, citing the powers of the Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee under Section 371(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Katsina State, 2021.
The development has sparked outrage among legal practitioners and civil society groups, who warned that releasing suspects accused of serious crimes could undermine the rule of law, deny justice to victims and embolden criminal elements.
However, the Katsina State Government has confirmed the authenticity of the document. Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasir Muazu, said the move was aimed at sustaining peace agreements with armed groups operating across the state.
Muazu explained that the peace deal, which covers at least 15 local government areas, had already led to the release of about 1,000 persons abducted during bandit attacks.
