Governor Umar Radda of Katsina State has firmly stated that his administration will not engage in negotiations with bandits. During his visit to the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, on Thursday, October 26, Radda conveyed his commitment to applying significant military force to compel the bandits to come to the negotiation table.
He explained, “The previous administration in the state attempted negotiation with the bandits, but it did not yield any positive results. We believe that a combination of both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches is necessary to address this issue. We do not intend to negotiate with the bandits when they hold the upper hand. Our approach is to engage in negotiations when they have faced significant pressure, prompting them to express their readiness for dialogue. At that point, we will negotiate with them and facilitate their reintegration into society.”
Radda also expressed his appreciation for the military’s role in maintaining security in the state and throughout the nation. He highlighted the launch of the Community Security Watch in the state as a complementary effort to support the military and other security agencies in the ongoing fight against bandits.
