Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari, has declared that the current banditry attacks and insecurity in the state will soon become history, thanks to the concerted efforts of security agencies, the state government and other relevant stakeholders in addressing the scourge.
The governor made the declaration at the Government House shortly after a -5-hour security meeting with heads of security agencies in the state, including the two first-class traditional rulers of Daura and Katsina and the Secretary to the State Government on Saturday.
Masari said there are growing indications that the security situation in the state has greatly improved, particularly in the eight frontline local government areas.
He said, “We have reviewed the situation and so far are satisfied with the progress made. We have not gotten there yet, but definitely we will be there. That is why we have taken over five hours discussing what has happened and planning how to go forward with the approaches to make sure that normalcy has completely been restored, particularly in the eight frontline local governments in Katsina State.”
On the issue of providing additional security for the farmers, the governor said his priority is to restore normalcy first and then other concerns particularly security for the farmers will follow.
He said, “I think there are so many issues, but first of all let us restore normalcy. The next step is to find out why it happened and how it happened…”
“You cannot run away from economic issues that have affected the people negatively for a long time and I think we are restructuring the restoration agenda which we have started by constructing schools and clinic along the area and the next step is restoring needed infrastructure in the area.”
On the issue of dialoguing with the bandits, the governor proffers a holistic approach where other bordering states in the northwest would be involved.
He said, “What is going on in Zamfara affects Katsina State. Right now in Zamfara, we have what we call dialogue with the bandits, which we did long ago in Katsina, but we realised that for it to be successful, it has to be done collectively alongside with the issue of amnesty in the entire northwest.”
