The Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, has confirmed negotiation with bandits terrorizing farming communities in the state after two years of debate on whether to seal a peace deal with the hoodlums or not.

Radda, who at different times distanced himself from ongoing negotiation with bandits in the state, however, said on Monday that the peace deal has restored peace in four frontline local governments.

Unveiling an 18-month European Union-funded project, Conflict Prevention, Crisis Response and Resilience (CPCRR) in Katsina, Governor Radda said negotiation was ongoing in additional two frontline local governments of the state.

The CPCRR project is being implemented by International Organization for Migration (IOM) in collaboration with the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) and Mercy Corps in Katsina and Zamfara States to foster peace and socio-economic stability.

Radda said: “This project is not a top-down intervention. It is community owned, locally-led and culturally sensitive. From the onset, we have ensured that community voices, especially those of women, youths and persons with disabilities are central to planning and implementation. So, the state government has already gone far in this.

“I can assure you that due to this locally made community peace initiative, we are able to resolve crises in four of our frontline local governments out of the eight that we already have, and negotiation is going on in two additional frontline local governments.”

He, however, said the project was designed to tackle the root causes of conflict and strengthen the resilience of vulnerable villages and communities, spanning “eight high risk local governments” in the state.

He said schools and markets have been shut down, farms abandoned, children remain out of school, while parents buried their children and elderly persons fled their ancestral homes due to “unprecedented security and humanitarian” challenges.

“In Jibia, Batsari, Danmusa, Kankara, Safana, Sabuwa, Faskari and Dandume Local Governments, our frontline communities; community schools have been closed down, farms abandoned, markets shut down, children have missed education, parents have buried their children, elders have fled their ancestral homes due to this conflict,” he said.

Governor Radda reiterated that apart from insecurity, the state faces drought, desertification and shrinking of farmlands, which escalate resource competition and deepens vulnerability, as well as the land use system.

He admitted that economic stagnation and youth unemployment has further fueled the crisis. “These are not isolated issues; they are interconnected crises that demand integrated, holistic and community-driven solutions.”

Earlier, the IOM Chief of Mission, Dimanche Sharon, said the CPCRR project targeted over 95,000 persons across communities in Katsina and Zamfara States.

She explained that over 1.3 million people, including women and children, have been displaced by conflict in the North-west region of the state since February 2025.

“Too many families have been displaced, too many farms abandoned, and too many lives disrupted by insecurity. Yet, despite these challenges, the people of Katsina and Zamfara have shown resilience, determination, and the will to rebuild,” she added. (ThisDay)