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Kaduna Govt Offers Bandits Education, Healthcare to End Insecurity

ByTitilope Adako

PublishedNovember 5, 2025

The Kaduna State Government has introduced a new non-military peace initiative that offers bandits access to education, healthcare, and livelihood opportunities instead of cash rewards, as part of efforts to restore lasting peace in the state.

Commissioner for Information, Ahmed Maiyaki, made this known during a one-day workshop on Peace Journalism organised by the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kaduna State Council.

Maiyaki said the initiative, known as the Kaduna Peace Model, represents a deliberate shift “from confrontation to conversation,” focusing on dialogue and community development rather than financial inducement.

“You cannot bomb peace into existence; you must build it with trust,” he stated.

He explained that after years of devastating attacks, the government decided to tackle the root causes of insecurity by addressing social and economic challenges.

“The turning point came when leaders of armed groups asked the government to reopen markets, schools, and healthcare centres that had been shut down because of insecurity.

“We agreed because these are basic human needs, not ransom payments. We didn’t give them a dime. What we gave was life back to communities long abandoned,” he said.

Maiyaki revealed that between 2015 and 2023, Kaduna recorded 1,160 security incidents that claimed 4,876 lives and led to thousands of abductions.

“In 2021 alone, 1,192 people were killed and 3,348 abducted, forcing the closure of 142 schools and 192 health facilities across several local government areas,” he added.

According to him, the peace strategy—supported by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA)—relies on intelligence sharing, dialogue, and socio-economic inclusion.

He disclosed that through the joint ONSA–Kaduna Peace Committee, over 500 hostages had been released “without the payment of ransom or the use of force.”

“We are seeing trust where there was fear, and cooperation where there was hostility,” he said.

Maiyaki also noted that former bandit leaders such as “Jan Bros” and “Yellow One Million” now serve as community peace mediators.

“The peace model works because it is owned by the people. Communities co-create peace instead of having it dictated by government,” he added.

He further stated that over 500,000 hectares of farmland have been recovered, with commercial activities resuming in areas once deserted.

“Markets have reopened, and between 20 and 30 cattle trucks now move weekly on roads that were once feared by travellers,” he said.

“Our people wanted dignity, not pity. Once they saw sincerity, they embraced peace,” Maiyaki added.

He described the Kaduna Peace Model as a continuous and inclusive process involving clerics, traditional rulers, and community leaders.

“Peace is cheaper, deeper, and more enduring when people have a stake in it,” he said.

“The Kaduna experience proves that security without humanity is insecurity in disguise.”

In her remarks, Head of Department, Strategic Communication and Media Studies at Kaduna Polytechnic, Dr Fatima Shuaibu, said Nigeria’s recurring conflicts stem from mismanaged diversity and leadership failure.

“The media must deliberately emphasise solution-oriented stories that strengthen peace and social cohesion. When we misreport conflicts, we deepen wounds instead of healing them,” she said.

Titilope Adako

Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.