“We Will Give Them Necessary Support and Training to Engage Criminals Before the Arrival of Security Agents” — Radda
Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, has announced a new initiative aimed at empowering communities to defend themselves against bandits, kidnappers, and other criminal elements. The governor emphasized the importance of local involvement in safeguarding rural areas, particularly those far from the reach of immediate security forces.
“We have come up with an initiative that for any community ready to depend on itself, we will give them necessary support and training to engage criminals before the arrival of the security agents,” Radda said, during an address about the state’s security challenges.
Governor Radda recounted a visit to Tsamiyar-jino, a village deep within the state, where he highlighted the difficulty in reaching such remote areas in a timely manner. He noted that the remoteness of some communities makes them highly vulnerable to attacks, with security forces often unable to respond quickly enough to prevent tragedy.
“If bandits attack such areas, from the time you inform the security, it will take them over two hours before they can respond to the distress call. By then, whatever is going to happen will have happened – they will have killed people and kidnapped others,” he said.
The governor acknowledged the shortage of security personnel across the state and emphasized the need for communities to play a more active role in their own defense. He stressed that even small groups of criminals often overpower large communities due to a lack of resistance.
“I am surprised at the way we are dying in such a humiliating manner. You see five criminals attacking a community of 2,000 to 3,000 people, raping daughters, women, and abducting others without any confrontation from the people of that community.”
He called on young people in rural areas to take a stand, stating that organized community resistance could deter or even overpower the attackers. “If there are 100 youths in the community who confront them, they will not shoot for more than three times without being captured with bare hands,” he added.
Governor Radda also criticized the practice of paying ransom, warning that it often fails to guarantee the safety of hostages. “Paying ransom doesn’t even prevent a hostage from being killed by abductors; sometimes they collect the money and kill the victim.”
The Katsina State Government’s new initiative aims to provide training and resources to communities willing to take a proactive stance in their defense, reducing their dependency on often-delayed responses from overwhelmed security forces.
