Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Bello Masari, is distressed that the worsening security situation has clearly made the State insecure for everyone.
The Governor said even as the Chief Security Officer, he is not safe under the present security threat within the State
He stated that emerging security reports from relevant agencies indicate that kidnapping, armed robbery, banditry and cattle rustling are now the order of the day across the state.
The alarm raised by the governor comes barely 24 hours after his Borno State counterpart, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, expressed similar concerns about deteriorating security situation in his state, due to escalating Boko Haram’s attacks on soldiers and civilians targets.
Only a few days back, the Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, also expressed helplessness about the security situation in state, declaring that he wouldn’t mind the Federal Government imposing a state of emergency on the state.
Speaking at an extraordinary security meeting in Katsina to find lasting solutions to the resurgence of insecurity in the state, Governor Masari said: “Today (yesterday), reports I received from security agencies are all about threat of kidnapping, armed robbery and banditry. “No one, not even I, is safe. So, this is the situation and that is why we are here to find a way out, which is a must. There is no option because we are thinking of the survival of our people and state.
“It is now a daily occurrence as no day passes without a case recorded. It is not even rustling of cows but now kidnapping of people.”
The Governor admitted that; “Our state is currently under serious siege by armed robbers, kidnappers and armed bandits who arrest rural people at the grassroots at will and demand ransom, which if not paid, they kill their victims.
“The Permanent Secretary was just informing me that his close relative was kidnapped and a ransom of N5 million was demanded and the person who took the money to them was shot.
“Some people visited me, and as they left, they were trailed and robbed of their belongings. The armed robbers could not go away with the vehicle because it has security lock on it.
“In the past, they carried out their activities in the middle of the night, but now, they operate at midnight, 10pm and gradually in broad day light.”
He further said that; “It is not up to a month, right here in front of Government House, five electricity poles were carted away. It is getting out of hand that we should not fold our arms. Let’s return to God, let’s pray to Him to salvage the situation. So we must reach a lasting solution at this meeting to curtail this ugly trend.
“The citizens are on daily basis being harassed by bandits and kidnappers that are on rampage in the state. “The Katsina government organised this one-day joint security and stakeholders meeting to proffer solutions to the state’s current insecurity challenge.”
According to Governor Masari, “The people of Katsina in the 34 local governments now sleep with one eye closed and the other opened.
“Our state is in a dangerous situation. Travelers are afraid of being stopped on the highway and arrested by kidnappers who demand ransom.”
The meeting later went into closed-door session and had in attendance top government functionaries, security chiefs and traditional leaders from the worst-hit eight local governments areas, bordering Zamfara State and other selected local government areas. – With agency reports
