Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina State has expressed concerns that bandits cannot operate freely without the cooperation of some individuals within society,Daily Trust reports.
During a town hall meeting in Daura over the weekend, Radda emphasized his government’s commitment to supporting citizens in assisting security forces to protect communities from bandits, kidnappers, and other criminals. The meeting, themed ‘Public Engagement: 2025 Citizens’ Budget Participation Process,’ served as a platform for discussing collaborative security efforts.
“We’ve introduced an initiative where any community willing to defend itself will receive the necessary support and training to confront criminals before security agents arrive,” Radda stated.
Recalling a visit to Tsamiyar-jino, a remote village that took him two hours to reach by jeep from the main road, Radda highlighted the challenges of timely security responses in isolated areas. “If bandits attack such places, it can take security forces more than two hours to respond. By then, the damage is already done—people killed, others kidnapped.”
He reiterated that security personnel alone cannot address the issue due to insufficient manpower. “It’s heartbreaking to see how we are dying in such humiliating ways. We have been told that defending one’s family leads to paradise.”
Radda expressed frustration at communities of 2,000 to 3,000 people being terrorized by just five bandits without any resistance. “If 100 youths stood up to them, the bandits wouldn’t be able to fire more than a few shots before being overpowered.”
He also criticized the practice of paying ransom, noting it doesn’t guarantee the safety of hostages. “Sometimes the money is paid, and the victim is still killed.”
The governor further alleged that some community leaders collaborate with bandits for financial gain. “In one case, a village head’s representative took N700,000 from bandits and allowed them to kill about 30 people in his area.”
Radda revealed that various members of society, including women and even teachers, have been arrested for acting as informants for the bandits.
In response to these challenges, Radda’s administration has created a community security watch corps. “We trained them and provided rifles, bulletproof vests, umbrellas, uniforms, and shoes. They work alongside the police and military.”
Additionally, the governor said his government equipped security operatives with 700 motorcycles, 65 Hilux vehicles, and 10 armored personnel carriers (APCs). “We allocate N3 million for the fuel and maintenance of these vehicles in front-line local governments, N1.5 million for vulnerable areas, and N750,000 for others.”
He also mentioned the acquisition of advanced 5G surveillance gadgets, which he claimed are more advanced than the common 3G models.
Katsina is one of the North-Western states suffering from persistent bandit attacks, which have inflicted severe hardships on its residents.
