By: Sunday Ameh
The Kaduna State Government has unveiled a new non-military peace initiative that offers bandits access to education, healthcare services, and livelihood support as part of efforts to end years of violent attacks in the state.
State Commissioner for Information, Ahmed Maiyaki, disclosed this on Wednesday during a one-day Peace Journalism workshop organised by the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Kaduna.
Maiyaki said the policy, known as the Kaduna Peace Model, marks a fundamental shift “from confrontation to conversation,” stressing that military force alone cannot resolve deep-rooted insecurity challenges.
“You cannot bomb peace into existence; you must build it with trust,” he stated.
According to him, the state moved away from cash-for-peace deals and instead prioritised reopening schools, markets, and healthcare centres in previously terror-stricken communities — a demand made by leaders of armed groups during dialogue sessions.
“We didn’t give them a dime. What we gave was life back to communities long abandoned,” he added.
High Human Cost Before Policy Shift
Maiyaki revealed that between 2015 and 2023, Kaduna recorded 1,160 security incidents, leading to 4,876 deaths and thousands of kidnappings. In 2021 alone, 1,192 people were killed and 3,348 abducted, resulting in the closure of 142 schools and 192 health facilities across multiple local governments.
He said the disturbing figures compelled government officials, community leaders, and security stakeholders to pursue a strategy that tackled the social and economic roots of banditry.
Results of the Peace Initiative
The commissioner disclosed that the joint Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and Kaduna Peace Committee has facilitated the release of more than 500 captives without payment of ransom or military confrontation.
“We are seeing trust where there was fear, and cooperation where there was hostility,” he said.
He also confirmed that former bandit leaders — including individuals known as “Jan Bros” and “Yellow One Million” — now serve as peace mediators in rural communities.
Under the initiative, over 500,000 hectares of farmland have been recovered, while commercial activities have resumed in previously deserted areas.
“Markets have reopened, and between 20 and 30 cattle trucks now move weekly on roads that once instilled fear in travellers,” he noted.
‘Security Without Humanity Is Insecurity’
Maiyaki emphasised that the peace process is community-driven and supported by traditional leaders, clerics, and local stakeholders.
“The Kaduna experience proves that security without humanity is insecurity in disguise,” he said.
“Peace is cheaper, deeper, and more enduring when people have a stake in it.”
Experts Emphasise Peace Journalism
Speaking earlier, Dr. Fatima Shuaibu, Head of Strategic Communication and Media Studies at Kaduna Polytechnic, argued that Nigeria’s recurring conflicts stem from mismanaged diversity and poor leadership.
She urged journalists to prioritise responsible reporting that encourages solution-driven dialogue and national cohesion.
“When we misreport conflicts, we deepen wounds instead of healing them,” she warned.
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