THE governor of Katsina State, Dikko Umaru Radda has called on residents to expose bandit informants and collaborators, stressing that lasting peace cannot be achieved while criminal groups continue to receive support from within local communities.
Speaking at a security sensitisation programme and public lecture organised by the Katsina Scholars Forum for Community Advancement, the governor urged citizens to work closely with security agencies by reporting individuals who provide intelligence, logistics, or any form of assistance to bandits.
Radda said combating insecurity requires the collective efforts of residents, traditional rulers, Islamic clerics, community leaders, and security agencies, noting that religious leaders have a crucial role in promoting values that discourage crime and encourage cooperation with law enforcement.
According to the governor, his administration inherited a severe security challenge, with 23 of Katsina State’s 34 local government areas heavily affected by banditry.
In response, the state recruited 2,500 personnel into the Katsina Community Watch Corps to support the military, police, and other security agencies.
He said the initiative has contributed to significant security improvements, allowing motorists to travel on roads that were previously unsafe and enabling markets that had been shut down due to bandit attacks to resume operations.
He however noted that security agencies remain vigilant in Musawa and Matazu local government areas, where new threats have emerged.
Radda commended the Community Watch Corps for its role in restoring peace, describing the outfit as an indispensable partner in the state’s security framework.
The governor also cited the abduction of the late General Abubakar Rabe as a reminder of the need to dismantle criminal support networks.
He urged politicians to avoid politicising security matters and instead prioritise the safety and wellbeing of residents.
He further appealed to Islamic clerics to use their sermons to promote obedience to the law, peaceful coexistence, and support for security agencies.
In addition, he reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening traditional institutions through improved welfare packages for district and village heads.
Deputy Governor Faruk Lawal Jobe disclosed that the government has increased the allowances of village heads, upgraded the status and remuneration of district heads, and reviewed the salaries of other traditional title holders to enhance their contribution to community security.
Delivering the keynote lecture, the Chief Imam of the National Mosque, Abuja, Sheikh Ibrahim Makari, said insecurity cannot be tackled by government alone.
He called for responsible religious preaching, stronger community intelligence gathering, proper moral upbringing of children, and greater involvement of retired public servants and security personnel in safeguarding communities.
