THE Katsina State Government has stressed the need for the Federal Government, to support the security agencies in the state with sophisticated weapons to fight bandits and other criminal elements terrorising the state.
The State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr Nasiru Danmusa, made the call on Monday night shortly after attending an emergency security meeting with stakeholders chaired by the state governor, Malam Dikko Radda.
He said that the state government had realised, that bandits disturbing the peace of the state, now use more sophisticated weapons such as the RPG, citing an occurrence where one of the newly deployed Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC) commissioned by the state government, was hit down by the hoodlums.
He explained that the state government had resolved to continue to pursue and fight bandits until peace was restored, adding that it was not going to negotiate with the bandits at the point of weakness.
He, therefore, described the cooperation between the government and security agencies as fantastic, adding that they were putting their best into the ongoing onslaught.
“We have a robust synergy with the security agencies and we work as a team as brothers and that’s what’s even giving us the advantage of fighting banditry in the state.
“We don’t think negotiation with bandits is the way to go, taking into cognisance their approach is clear that they just want to kill people for negotiation so that they can be able to sell out the cattle they have stolen to get more money, and be able to bring other products like uniforms to the market.
“We are watching them, and we will not venture into the dangerous mission.
“Government will not relent in its efforts to tackle insecurity in the state. The governor is poised to address insecurity, which is why security is his first, second and third priority. Investment is being made in the security sector.
“So in today’s meeting, we have had far-reaching decisions concerning the insecurity issue in Katsina State. Recently, we have been having intermittent attacks by bandits especially in Malumfashi, Faskari and Bakori Local Government Areas Axis.
“Government feels the need to address the issues taking into cognisance, the Bandits have devised another strategy by attacking hard-to-reach villages and communities.
“They are no longer kidnapping people for ransom and no longer stealing property, but continue killing people so that the government will call them for negotiation. This is not acceptable to the government and the good people of Katsina State.
“We have extricated about 12 LGAs from the shackles of bandits and they will farm peacefully as farming season approaches.
“We have a plan for the Frontline Local Government Areas and security reasons, we can not unveil the plan. We will try as much as possible to see that farmers access their farms in this year’s rainy season”, Dr Danmusa noted.