Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, has renewed his administration’s appeal to bandits operating across forests in the North-West, urging them to surrender their weapons and return to their communities.
The governor said his government remains ready to accept and rehabilitate those who genuinely abandon criminal activities and embrace peace.
Radda made the appeal on Thursday during the inauguration of 152 housing units built for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Jibia Local Government Area.
Addressing residents and guests at the event, the governor said lasting peace can only be achieved through lawful means and honest work, stressing that violence has brought suffering to many families across the state.
He declared that the government’s doors were still open for dialogue and reconciliation with anyone willing to change.
“To those our brothers and sisters in the bush or in the forest, to those who still raise weapons against our own people, to those who have taken to banditry, kidnapping and violence, hear me very well today. There is a better way.
“The doors for dialogue, repentance and reintegration remain open to you. Lay down your arms, come back to your families, come back to your communities.
“The same houses, the same grants, the same opportunities being delivered here today can be yours tomorrow, not through fear, not through bloodshed, but through peace, good governance and honest labour.
“Choose your children over your weapons, choose prosperity over destruction and choose life.”
The governor assured that every individual willing to embrace peace would be given an opportunity to rebuild their lives.
Radda noted that insecurity in the North-West has grown beyond ordinary security concerns, affecting livelihoods, economic activities and social stability.
According to him, the region has faced years of bandit attacks, kidnappings and violent crimes that displaced thousands of families and disrupted farming and business activities.
He said the newly commissioned housing estate represents part of the state’s efforts to restore hope to victims of the crisis.
The governor explained that the project, which was flagged off in October 2024, was completed through collaboration between the Katsina State Government and international development partners.
He said each beneficiary family would receive more than just accommodation, adding that mattresses, mats, blankets, cooking stoves, a bag of rice and a cash grant of N200,000 would also be provided.
Radda described the houses as a symbol of the government’s commitment to families who lost loved ones, homes and sources of livelihood as a result of insecurity.
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