Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, has announced the state’s readiness to support communities in self-defense efforts against bandits, kidnappers, and other criminals.
According to The PUNCH, the governor, while speaking at a public engagement during the 2025 Citizens’ Budget Participation Process and the launch of a Community Development Programme in the Katsina zone, highlighted the urgent need for local involvement in securing vulnerable areas.
Radda explained that the state government is committed to offering necessary training and support to communities willing to take proactive steps in defending themselves before security forces arrive.
“We have come up with an initiative that for any community ready to defend itself, we will provide the necessary support and training to engage criminals before the arrival of security agents,” Radda stated.
He recounted his visit to Tsamiyar-jino, a remote village which took him over two hours to reach by car, illustrating the delay in response times for such areas.
“By the time security forces arrive, the damage will have been done lives lost, and people kidnapped,” he lamented, stressing that the state’s security personnel are overstretched.
The governor further urged communities to stand up against criminal elements. “You see five criminals attacking a community of 2,000 to 3,000 people, raping women, and abducting others without any confrontation. If 100 youths in that community confront them, they will not shoot more than three times before being overpowered.”
Radda also raised concerns about internal sabotage within communities, revealing instances where local leaders and others were complicit in bandit activities.
“There was a village representative who collected N700,000 from bandits and allowed them to kill about 30 people. Even a teacher was arrested for serving as their informant,” he said.
To strengthen local defense efforts, the governor highlighted the state’s creation of the Community Security Watch Corps, a youth-based security initiative.
The government has equipped these volunteers with rifles, bulletproof vests, and other necessary gear. In addition, the administration has supplied them with 700 motorcycles, 65 Hilux vehicles, and 10 Armoured Personnel Carriers to assist in operations.
“We’ve also invested in advanced surveillance gadgets, using 5G technology, which is unprecedented in the country,” Radda noted.
The state is also allocating significant resources for the maintenance of vehicles used by security personnel, including a monthly provision of N3 million for fueling and upkeep.
Radda called on residents to cooperate by providing timely information to security forces, assuring that the government remains committed to enhancing the safety and security of all Katsina communities.
