Notorious armed leader Ado Allero joined new peace talks in Katsina, expressing hope for stability.
He said the large meeting could help end rural violence and rebuild trust with communities.
Ado Allero, a notorious armed group leader, has expressed confidence that a new round of peace talks in Katsina State could finally bring stability to the region.
On Sunday he attended a large peace meeting in Faskari Local Government Area described by organizers as the biggest so far, where several armed factions pledged to work toward reconciliation and peaceful coexistence with local communities.
Addressing the gathering, Allero recalled taking part in earlier peace efforts in Katsina but said those initiatives broke down after security agents arrested his son, an action he considered unfair. He explained that at the time his group had been cooperating with both state and federal authorities, meeting with senior officials and community leaders, but the detention prompted him to withdraw from the peace process and resume hostilities.
Allero said this latest dialogue was unprecedented because of the large turnout of armed groups participating openly. He voiced optimism that the outcome would promote lasting calm, not only in Faskari but across other parts of the country.
However, some stakeholders cautioned that earlier initiatives collapsed when bandits who agreed to peace locally later carried out attacks elsewhere.
The Faskari meeting was attended by traditional rulers, security representatives and community leaders, who stressed the importance of sincerity, accountability and a long-term commitment to ending rural violence and restoring trust in affected communities.
