KATSINA – The Katsina State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly denounced the state government’s plan to release 70 suspected bandits from prisons across the state.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday after a closed-door meeting, Alhaji Lawal Tukur Batagarawa, representing the party, labeled the move as “totally unacceptable and irresponsible,” calling it a betrayal of citizens, especially victims of banditry in frontline local government areas.
The party’s condemnation follows a leaked letter from the Katsina State Ministry of Justice, dated January 2, 2026, and signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Abdur-Rahman Umar. The letter requested the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee to facilitate the release of the detained suspects.
Batagarawa argued that releasing the suspects would undermine public confidence in the fight against insecurity, demoralize security forces, and embolden criminal elements terrorizing rural communities.
During the press conference, the party also announced the inauguration of its new state leadership, headed by Architect Ahmed Aminu Yar’Adua, and a membership mobilization committee led by Dr. Mustapha Mohammed Inuwa.
Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.
Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.
He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.
Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).
He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.
He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.
Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled: Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.
