Bashir Ahmed warns against pardoning repentant bandits after 15 vigilantes were killed in Katsina, citing claims of false repentance

Bashir Ahmed, former media aide to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, has raised serious concerns over the practice of granting pardons to so-called repentant bandits in Nigeria.

Also read: Pregnant Women Among 400 Repentant Bandits in Benue State

Ahmed’s reaction followed the killing of 15 members of a vigilante group in Falale village, Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State, on Tuesday, March 17.

The vigilantes had reportedly intercepted and neutralised three suspected bandits before armed assailants struck back, massacring the group in retaliation.

In a post on X, Ahmed argued that many bandits claim repentance as a strategy to evade justice.

“This reinforces the genuine concern that many who claim repentance do so only as an opportunity to evade justice,” he wrote, referencing the attack on the vigilantes.

The incident comes amid ongoing insecurity in Katsina and other North-West states, which have previously granted pardons to repentant bandits following peace negotiations.

Critics, however, continue to question the efficacy and safety of such measures.

Also read: Kaduna Police Neutralise Bandits, Recover Firearms

Authorities have not yet released an official statement on the attack or the status of ongoing security operations in the affected area.