Katsina to open literacy classes for repentant bandits

The Katsina government has announced plans to open literacy classes for repentant bandits in the state, as part of efforts to reintegrate them into society.

Bilkisu Muhammad-Kakai, the executive director of the state’s agency for mass education, addressed the press in Katsina on Sunday.

The executive director, speaking on the agency’s activities in the last six months, said it had opened 68 new adult education classes.

Muhammad-Kakai further explained that the government had also opened a basic post-literacy class at Katsina Correction Centre.

She said the agency is set to open the newly created rehab classes, where repentant bandits are to receive both Islamic and western education.

“The agency is ready to deploy facilitators to run the classes, where both Islamic and western education will be offered to change their behaviour and lifestyle,” she said.

“We will liaise with local government chairmen to open the classes in phases. The core subjects are Islamic and western education.

“The basic post-literacy class is to assist enrolled inmates to reach university to obtain a degree certificate.”

Muhammad-Kakai said she toured all the local government areas in the last six months to inspect adult education classes and women’s centres to assess their condition.

She said the state government had made financial provision in this year’s budget to address problems facing them.

She appealed to lawmakers from the state to work with the agency to open more adult literacy and women’s centres.

“The national assembly members should provide some percentage of their constituency allowance for the running of adult education classes in their areas to wipe out illiteracy,” she pleaded.

In February 2025, several notorious bandit leaders terrorising Batsari, Safana, and Jibia LGAs of Katsina were reported to have surrendered to the troops of the Nigerian Army.