Zamfara’s Safe Corridor Plan Sparks Debate Over ‘No Negotiation’ With Bandits

The Zamfara State Government says Operation Safe Corridor is not a negotiation with bandits. The programme, launched in Tsafe on February 13, 2025, is designed to receive bandits who voluntarily surrender their weapons and renounce kidnapping, killings and other crimes. Participants are expected to undergo screening, reorientation and skills training before possible reintegration into their communities under security and community monitoring. The initiative is modelled on rehabilitation efforts previously used for repentant Boko Haram members in the North-East. The government argues that negotiation involves bargaining directly with bandit leaders, while Safe Corridor offers individual fighters a route out of violence. Critics, however, say the distinction is unclear, especially because questions remain about accountability for past crimes. For communities affected by attacks in Tsafe, Maru, Dansadau and nearby areas, the key question is whether the programme will weaken armed groups and bring lasting peace, or create the impression that violence is being rewarded.

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