Governor Dikko Radda urged citizens to remain vigilant and cooperate with security agents by providing timely information to ensure the safety and security of their communities.
Katsina, Nigeria – The Katsina State Government has announced its commitment to assisting local communities in defending themselves against bandits, kidnappers, and other criminals.
During the launch of the 2025 Citizens’ Budget Participation Process and Community Development Programme in Katsina on Friday, Governor Dikko Radda made the announcement.
Governor Radda emphasized the need for communities to take an active role in their own defense due to the challenges faced by security agencies in reaching remote areas swiftly.
He noted that in many rural villages, such as Tsamiyar-jino, it can take security forces more than two hours to respond to a distress call, leaving communities vulnerable to attacks.
“We have developed an initiative to support communities willing to defend themselves. We will provide them with the necessary support and training to engage criminals before security agents arrive,” the governor stated.
Radda lamented the shortage of security personnel in the state, stating that the current number of security agents is insufficient to protect all communities. He called on citizens to join the effort to safeguard their neighborhoods, noting that small groups of criminals often overpower large communities.
“Five criminals can attack a community of 2,000 to 3,000 people, committing heinous crimes without resistance. If just 100 youths from such communities confront them, the attackers would not fire more than three shots before being captured,” Radda said.
He also criticized the payment of ransoms, stating that paying kidnappers does not guarantee the safety of hostages, as criminals often collect the money and kill their victims regardless.
The governor expressed concern over the involvement of some local leaders and residents in criminal activities. He cited an incident where a village representative allegedly accepted N700,000 from bandits, allowing them to enter the area and kill 30 people. He also mentioned the arrests of women and a teacher serving as informants for the criminals.
To address the security challenges, Governor Radda highlighted the creation of a Community Security Watch Corps, which recruits and trains local youths from high-risk areas. These recruits are trained and equipped with rifles, bulletproof vests, and other resources, and work in collaboration with the police and army.
The state government has also provided the corps with 700 motorcycles, 65 Hilux trucks, 10 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), and advanced surveillance gadgets. Additionally, funds have been allocated for the fueling and maintenance of these vehicles, with N3 million set aside for front-line local governments, N1.5 million for vulnerable areas, and N750,000 for other local government areas.
Governor Dikko Radda urged citizens to remain vigilant and cooperate with security agents by providing timely information to ensure the safety and security of their communities.
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