Gov. Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State appearing on News Agency Of Nigeria (NAN) Forum explained how cattle rustling grew into full blown kidnapping, banditry and other mischiefs in the North west Zone of Nigeria. Explaining further on the interview program of NAN in his state the outspoken governor stated that lack of education contributed more than other vices to the level of insecurity the North is witnessing.
There was lack of education and there's this influx of foreign criminals from some North African countries he stated.
The governor also outlined steps Katsina State is taking to tackle the spate of insecurity while regretting how the unabated trouble and mischief from the criminals had prevented willing farmers from accessing the farmlands.
” Unfortunately, what we met as cattle rustling has turned into banditry and insurgency which are depriving people, especially those living in the border area of the forests which are very fertile, from access to their farms, drastically affecting their source of livelihood.
“They have lost their ploughing cattle which they used to plough the land.
” This has caused another challenge to our “Restoration Agenda” in Katsina but we thank God that we can continue,” he said.
“We have a committee under the North West Zone because of our linkage in terms of boundary.
” We are strategising on how to deal with the situation.
” And as I talk to you now, we have 500 vigilantes undergoing training and we intend to take another 3,000.
” All of us are doing that at various levels and we have a committee where my SA on Security is representing me.
” We have the governor of Niger as the chairman. We are sharing our experiences.
“’We have infiltration from Niger Republic, Mali which has very large ungoverned spaces and you know the problem in Libya has unleashed arms and ammunition on sub-Saharan Africa.
“And we have to accept that within these areas, Nigeria is the richest and an attraction for all forms of criminality and kidnapping.
” Even ISWAP will want to at least stay in the North West to institute family here and but are fighting day and night to ensure that it doesn’t happen. We are working night and day to make sure that it doesn’t become a permanent feature.
“And again there is issue of drugs, because these young men that the bandits are using to carry out these attacks, they give them all forms of hard drugs and intoxicants before they work on them.
“The major problem we are facing now is the issue of selected kidnapping; they have moved a step further by going to town to kidnap a member of the family. That is the stage we are dealing with now.
“’But for me, there are no more innocent people living in the forests. When we started there were innocent people but today, there are very few innocent people there.
” If I meet these innocent people, I will hold them, it is either they are being supported by their children who are thieves or criminals, or women who cannot do otherwise.
” You know that your husband is bad; he is a bandit or insurgent. Some of the women having nowhere to go will want to stay and hope for the best.
” Eventually, she becomes a bandit or gives birth to a bandit, so for me, there are no more innocent people in the forests, ‘’ he said. (NAN)
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