Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina State has shot down rumors of secret parleys with bandits, insisting his government pursues only authentic peace while unveiling 100 fresh Community Watch Corps recruits to fortify defenses in bandit-plagued frontiers.

Radda, speaking yesterday at the passing-out parade for the third batch of C-Watch officers in Katsina, doubled down on his administration's no-negotiation stance amid reports of alleged backroom deals. "The headlines say the Katsina State Government is negotiating with bandits, but that is far from reality," he said. "I have publicly maintained that the government will not negotiate with bandits but will always welcome peace."

The event marked a milestone for the two-year-old C-Watch program, expanding its reach to 20 of the state's 34 local government areas. The 100 new officers—screened from local communities and drilled in tactics, weapon handling, arrests and intelligence—will split duties in high-risk Kankia and Dutsin-Ma, each getting 50 strong.

Dutsin-Ma, bordering hotspots like Safana and Danmusa, remains a banditry flashpoint, underscoring the initiative's urgency.

Radda's "Katsina Model," he explained, empowers affected villages to broker pacts with repentant fighters who surrender arms, with the state providing oversight and socioeconomic perks to sustain calm. "Our focus is to ensure that communities that enjoy peace also benefit... giving our people a dignified existence," he added.

Early wins include Jibia's eight-month attack-free stretch, Batsari's seven months of quiet, and relative stability in Danmusa, Safana, Faskari and Sabuwa.

Launched amid a steep learning curve two years back, C-Watch pairs community vigilance with federal muscle—Nigerian Air Force, Army and Police—yielding sharper intel, quicker responses and joint ops.