Defend yourselves against attacks - Katsina Gov tells residents

Katsina State Governor Dikko Umar Radda has called on the state’s residents to devise means to protect themselves against attacks by bandits.

Radda made the call during an extensive emergency security meeting at the Government House in Katsina on Friday, February 9, 2024.

The Governor told the residents that, rather than always relying on the government for intervention, they should band themselves into groups to protect their domains.

Katsina is one of the Northern states ravaged by the activities of bandits, who carry out nefarious acts such as kidnapping for ransom, killings, and arson, among others.

Despite the efforts of the police and other security agencies to curb the menace, the insecurity situation remains a major concern. Just last weekend, no fewer than 55 wedding guests, including the bride, were kidnapped by gunmen in the state.

Meanwhile, to complement the security agencies, Governor Radda said he is ready to provide training and logistical support to any community that organises themselves to fight insecurity in their area.

“We must review the security situation in the state, take action to find a solution and address these challenges. Apart from insecurity, there are other challenges like the rising cost of food and hunger amongst the population.

“Government is fully prepared to assist any community that organises themselves in their respective areas through training and the provision of logistics.”

“We are all aware of the current skyrocketing of the prices of foodstuff, which led to protests in Niger State, Kano and other places. It has not gotten to our state yet, but it is necessary for us to meet and see how we can mitigate the situation before it gets out of hand,” he said.

On the hike in prices of commodities, the Governor blamed the trend on the fall in the value of naira, noting that the fact that people from neighbouring countries also trooped in to purchase huge grains has worsened the situation.

“There are also people who use their naira to purchase foodstuff for hoarding in order to save their money from possible loss due to the fall in the value of our currency,” the Radda added.