Claim: A Facebook page, identified as Hausawa, claimed that many suspected bandits came out of the forest to attend the coronation of Alhaji Sani Tukur as the new Sarkin Ruman Katsina and District Head of Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State.
Verdict: Misleading. A report by Katsina Times confirmed that some of the people in the photographs were repentant bandits who came out of the forest to attend the coronation and celebrate the new traditional ruler, signalling continued peace in Batsari.
Full Text
On Aug. 30, 2026, a Facebook page, Hausawa, shared three photographs (archived here) claiming that many suspected bandits had come out of the forest to attend the coronation of Alhaji Sani Tukur as the new Sarkin Ruman Katsina and District Head of Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State.
As of September 7, the post had attracted 165 reactions, 67 comments, and 16 shares.
The post triggered mixed reactions among users. Some questioned its authenticity while some agreed with it.
Muammar Gaddafi commented, asking where the bandits were in the image, saying, “I am from Batsari.”
Another user, Oluranti Olujitan, questioned why suspected criminals would be allowed to attend a public event and leave without being arrested.
“So any under 40 now is a bandit provided he or she is a Muslim?” Adedayo Julius questioned.
The claim comes amid ongoing peace and reconciliation efforts involving repentant bandits and communities in Batsari, following several years of insecurity and attacks by armed groups. DUBAWA therefore investigated the claim.
Verification
DUBAWA examined the photographs, which showed several people attending the traditional ceremony. A Katsina Times watermark was visible on the images.
A keyword search led DUBAWA to a live broadcast of the coronation ceremony of Alhaji Sani Tukur, which took place in Batsari on Aug. 29, 2026.
We also found a Katsina Times report published on August 30, which noted that repentant bandits and former armed-group leaders attended the ceremony.
The report identified two leaders, ‘Tukur and Bala Musa,’ who presented goodwill gifts such as cattle, fura, and nono to the new traditional ruler
It said the repentant bandits publicly expressed their support for the new traditional ruler and their commitment to peace in Batsari.
The Chairperson of the Batsari Local Government Reconciliation and Peace Committee, Mamman Mannir Murtala, described the presence of the repentant bandits as a milestone in ongoing dialogue aimed at ending years of rural banditry in Batsari.
Blueprint Hausa also documented the event, reporting that many repentant bandits attended the ceremony, reaffirmed their support for the new District Head, and pledged to continue peace in the area.
DUBAWA also contacted Zaharaddeen Ishaq, the Katsina Times reporter who covered the ceremony and captured the images.
“They are repentant bandits, as reported. They came to the coronation and celebrated with the people to signal their continued commitment to peace in Batsari,” he added.
The evidence therefore shows that they are repentant bandits who came out of the forest to attend the coronation, not active bandits.
Conclusion
The claim is misleading. Some of the people in the photographs were repentant bandits who came out of the forest to attend and celebrate the coronation as a signal of continued peace in Batsari. They were repentant, not suspected or active bandits.
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