Buhari's Katsina State becomes the latest territory to be taken over by armed bandits

KATSINA has become the latest state in Nigeria to be taken over by armed bandits according to Governor Aminu Masari who revealed that the territory has now become a haven for kidnappers and armed robbers who terrorise the local populace at will.

Over recent years, Nigeria has been wracked by insecurity as the Boko Haram insurgency rages in the northeast, the Middle belt is taken over by armed Fulani cattle herdsmen and bandits have run riot in Zamfara State. Kidnapping and armed robbery have also been rife in many other states and according to Governor Massari, Katsina too is now under siege.

At the opening ceremony of an extra-ordinary security meeting in Katsina, Governor Masari said:  “The citizens are on daily basis being harassed by bandits and kidnappers that are on rampage in the state, so the Katsina government organised this one-day joint security and stakeholders meeting to proffer solutions to the state’s current insecurity challenge. Our state is currently under serious siege by armed robbers, kidnappers and armed bandits who arrest rural people at the grassroots at will and demand ransom, which if not paid, they kill their victims.

“The people of Katsina in the 34 local governments now sleep with one eye closed and the other opened. Our state is in a dangerous situation as travellers are afraid of being stopped on the highway and arrested by kidnappers who demand ransom."

He added that the situation was so bad that some thieves stole some electrical equipment near the Government House at the Government Reserved Area (GRA) in Katsina. Furthermore, the governor urged stakeholders in the state not to hide any criminal and reveal vital information about their activities.

“I am calling on all stakeholders to come out with solutions that will assist the security agencies to discharge their duties. This time around, we should be able to make sacrifices that will make our state safe and will allow people to go about their lawful business without fear of being arrested by armed bandits and kidnappers," Governor Masari added.

Soldiers, the police, the Department of Security Service and other security outfits and traditional rulers attended the meeting. Katsina is President Muhammadu Buhari's home state but he was not present at the meeting.