Katsina

Katsina State Governor Dikko Umar Radda has called on residents to take up arms and defend themselves against bandits.

This is as the leader, a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, acknowledged the government’s failure to protect them.

Radda made the comments during a town hall meeting in Daura, tagged ‘Public Engagement: 2025 Citizens’ Budget Participation Process’.

In a trending video on social media, Radda, who appeared angry could be heard saying, “It is unfortunate that a few bandits/gunmen would raid and abuse a whole community. Even themselves (bandits), are afraid of death,” he said.

He added, “…of all the terrorists operating in Katsina State, they are barely in possession of 700 rifles.

“Regrettably, three famished and emaciated bandits would hunt down 1,000 people while we look helplessly as some hide beneath their beds,” he lamented.

He then asked, “Members of the clergy are here, and it’s mandatory upon them to pass to the general public Prophet Muhammad (SAW)’s message concerning a robber that comes after your life or wealth. What did God command you to do?”l

“What humiliation! A situation where you stand idly watching while your wife or daughter is being raped? What is the essence of you being alive thereafter? Death is more honourable than some kinds of humiliation,” he said implying there’s every gain after death for the people to confront the bandits.

He added, “They spare any community that they are aware resists their incursions. They don’t dare attack such communities.

“We must raise insurrections and wanton killings. We have to be battle-ready,” he added.

He pointed out that, “Anytime, five or even 10 of them raid your community and you mobilise like 500 people, before he eliminates five persons, you would have tamed him – whoever he is.

“It is just a façade…they are runaways and afraid of death even more than us. They only want to instil fear and anxiety in us,” the governor added.

Katsina State has been plagued by banditry and terrorist attacks, with over 13 local government areas under terrorist control.

Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina State said his saddest moment was any time he received news of bandits’ attacks in the state.

Radda, who stated this on Wednesday in Katsina at a press briefing for his one year in office, also revealed that his elder brother was killed by bandits.

“My saddest moment is when I receive calls that people were killed, houses burnt and women raped by bandits in a particular village. The only way to appreciate that is to put yourself in their shoes, and you will feel it. I have developed that feeling and it remained with me because my senior brother was killed by bandits. He left behind three wives and 27 children,” he said.

The governor noted that when his administration came on board, 22 out of the 34 local governments were severely affected by insecurity.

According to him, after the state government inaugurated the community security watch corps, the problem was drastically reduced.

He said that due to the intense pressure being mounted on the criminals, they have now resorted to attacking residents of hard-to-reach areas at night, making it difficult for the security operatives to respond easily.

The governor advocated the creation of state police in the country, saying: “Before I became governor, I was a critic of the state police. It is now that I see the importance of that.”

Radda further said that bad eggs in society are affecting the ongoing efforts in the fight against insecurity in the state.

“There was a village head who was arrested for collecting N700,000 to allow bandits to attack the village and kill over 30 people,” he said.