Peace Overture And Amnesty For Banditry In Katsina State: A Study Of Governor Aminu Bello Masari Administration, 2015–2023

Abstract

The escalation of armed banditry in Katsina State, Nigeria, between 2015 and 2023 has posed severe threats to human security, governance, and community resilience. Governor Aminu Bello Masari’s administration adopted peace overtures and amnesty programs as alternatives to militarized interventions. This study critically examines the implementation, outcomes, and limitations of these initiatives, drawing on Resilience Theory, Human Security Theory, and Conflict Transformation Theory. Using a qualitative methodology, data were collected through key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and analysis of policy documents, media reports, and government communiqués. Findings indicate that while the peace overtures temporarily reduced violence and facilitated dialogue between state actors and bandit groups, their effectiveness was undermined by weak institutional monitoring, corruption, inadequate reintegration measures, and community perceptions that amnesty legitimized criminality. The study highlights the limitations of short-term, top-down approaches in addressing rural insecurity and emphasizes the need for integrating amnesty within broader frameworks of disarmament, community resilience building, rural development, and governance reforms. Sustainable peace in Katsina State requires long-term, transformative strategies that address the structural drivers of banditry rather than isolated policy measures, offering valuable insights for policymakers and scholars concerned with subnational peacebuilding in high-risk regions.