Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina State has revealed that the vast majority of bandits terrorizing communities in the state are not outsiders, but locals well known to their victims.
Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television on Tuesday, Governor Radda stated,
“Most of the perpetrators of banditry are from our own area. They are not aliens. Ninety-something percent of them—we know their fathers, their grandfathers, and they are living with us.”
The governor described insecurity as one of the biggest obstacles to development in Katsina and lamented the limitations of state authorities in controlling federal security agencies.
“Though governors are called chief security officers of their states, the truth is that the military and police operate independently of us,” he noted.
In response to the growing security threat, the Katsina State government has launched a local security outfit, made up of young people from the most affected communities. Radda said the initiative was designed to leverage local knowledge and intelligence.
“These boys know the terrain better; they know those people better,” he explained. “This situation requires local involvement. That’s why we created this outfit—so that people at the grassroots can provide information and support efforts to restore peace.”
He emphasized that local operatives are better positioned to track bandits to their hideouts and identify collaborators within the communities.
“They can lead the fight to the enclaves of the bandits. They can identify informants and those providing logistical support to the criminals. Without unmasking these internal enablers, it will be difficult to win the fight against insecurity,” Radda concluded.
