A prominent Katsina bandit leader, Abdurraman Jankare, who is accused of killing an Assistant Commissioner of Police, reportedly set strict conditions before attending a recent peace dialogue, according to Dr. Bashir Kurfi, convener of the Katsina Security Community Initiative.

 

 

 

Kurfi said Jankare is believed to have orchestrated the senior officer’s death and even paraded the slain policeman’s uniform around areas under his control, where other bandits allegedly celebrated him.

 

 

 

When arrangements were made for a peace meeting, the same one that later circulated widely online, Jankare and his group demanded that no police officer should attend in uniform. Kurfi also claimed the bandit leader arrived at the gathering wearing or carrying the uniform taken from the officer he allegedly killed.

 

 

 

The meeting, which was part of ongoing efforts to reduce violence in the state, has sparked debate over negotiating with armed groups and the risks faced by security personnel involved in such dialogues.