Sokoto Governor Defends Dialogue with Bandits as Path to Peace

Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, has defended his administration’s engagement with repentant bandits, describing it as a calculated effort toward sustainable peace and the rehabilitation of communities devastated by insecurity.

In a statement released on Friday by his Special Adviser on Security Matters, Col. Ahmed Usman (rtd.), the governor clarified that the peace initiative is rooted in strength and strategy, not fear or compromise.

Usman was reacting to criticism from social media commentator Basharu Giyawa, who questioned the state’s decision to initiate peace talks with armed groups. He pointed out that Giyawa had once offered to serve as a mediator, making his recent stance contradictory.

Usman explained that the government is adopting a balanced, people-focused strategy to stop the recurring violence plaguing local government areas such as Rabah, Goronyo, Isa, and Sabon Birni.

“Our engagement with the bandits is a deliberate reconciliation initiative. It is part of a broader security architecture aimed at rebuilding lives and restoring peace,” Usman said.

He emphasized that the conflict has severely affected economic and agricultural activities, with farmers abandoning their fields and communities suffering food shortages and rising insecurity.

Only those insurgents who demonstrate a genuine willingness to renounce violence and undergo strict supervision and rehabilitation will be considered for talks, Usman clarified.

He stressed that this approach is not a surrender but a pragmatic peace-building strategy, implemented alongside active security deployments across troubled zones.

“This is not appeasement; it’s a human-centered strategy for peace and development,” he added.

The governor’s position comes amid rising public concern about the effectiveness and morality of negotiating with violent groups. However, his administration maintains that the dialogue is critical to halting the humanitarian crisis and rebuilding affected communities.