Governor Abubakar Sani Bello has granted amnesty to 27 bandits earlier arrested by security agencies in the state.

Governor Bello extended the amnesty during the second General Abdulsalam Abubakar Foundation Annual Lectures on Saturday in Minna.

He said the amnesty was in commemoration of this year’s International Day of Peace with the theme: “Climate Change for Peace”.

According to him, the gesture was to honour the pact it signed with leaders of the bandits to release their members as precondition to halting their activities.

He said the affected bandits fall within the first phase of the disarmament agreement which was reached in Kotonkoro, Mariga local government area of the state recently following a meeting by the Northern state Governors to explore the dialogue option to ending banditry in the zone.

He stated that the second and third phases of disarmament agreement would be reached in Pandogari in Rafi local government and Erena in Shiroro Council respectively.

Bello opined that his interface with them had led him into understanding the inherent misunderstandings which pushed them into violent protest, adding that with the “ongoing dialogue a lasting peace is possible”. (Daily Trust)