Katsina — A fresh controversy has erupted in Katsina State after an official document surfaced indicating that the state government has initiated steps to secure the release of dozens of suspected bandits currently facing criminal trials.
The letter, dated January 2, 2026, and marked “SECRET,” was issued by the Katsina State Ministry of Justice and addressed to the Chief Judge of the state. It shows that the ministry requested the intervention of the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee (ACJMC) to facilitate the release of detained suspects.
Signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Abdur-Rahman Umar, Esq., the letter disclosed that a list of 48 individuals accused of various banditry-related offences had been forwarded to the Ministry of Justice by the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs.
According to the document, the proposed release of the suspects is intended to “facilitate their release from detention, as one of the conditions precedent for the continuance of the peace accord deal signed between the frontline Local Governments and the bandits.”
While a handful of the suspects have been arraigned before the Federal High Court, most remain in detention awaiting trial at various Magistrate Courts across the state. A separate list of about 22 inmates currently facing trial before different High Courts was also submitted, with the aim of releasing them under the same peace arrangement.
The Ministry urged the Chief Judge to take “necessary action,” arguing that the matter falls within the statutory powers of the ACJMC under Section 371(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Katsina State, 2021.
The disclosure has drawn outrage from legal practitioners and civil society groups, who warn that releasing suspects accused of serious crimes such as banditry could undermine the rule of law, deny justice to victims, and embolden criminal networks.
Critics argue that, while peace initiatives are important, negotiating the release of suspects already in custody—some standing trial—raises serious constitutional, ethical, and security concerns.
As of this report, the Katsina State Government has not publicly explained what legal safeguards, if any, will guide the proposed releases, nor whether victims of the alleged crimes were consulted as part of the peace process.
The development adds to a growing national debate over the use of negotiated settlements with armed groups amid Nigeria’s worsening security crisis.
