Governor Dikko Umar Radda of Katsina State has appealed to armed groups operating in forests across the North-West to lay down their weapons and embrace peace, assuring them of government support for reintegration.
The governor made the appeal on Thursday, June 11, during the inauguration of 152 housing units built for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Jibia Local Government Area.
Radda urged individuals involved in banditry, kidnapping, and other violent crimes to abandon criminal activities and return to their communities, stressing that sustainable peace can only be achieved through dialogue and lawful livelihoods.
“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 governor said.
He added that opportunities provided by the state government, including housing and empowerment programmes for displaced persons, would also be extended to those who choose to renounce violence.
Radda encouraged them to prioritise their families and future over continued conflict, saying peace and development remain the only path to lasting prosperity in the region.