The governor of Katsina State, Mr. Aminu Bello Masari has cried armed robbery, kidnapping and cattle rustling had engulfed the state to the extent that even he, as the governor, is not safe.
Speaking yesterday at the at the opening of an extra- ordinary security meeting with heads of various security organisations, civil society groups as well as traditional rulers held in the state capital, Katsina, Masari said kidnapping and armed robbery were becoming so rampant that cattle to rustling had been pushed to a distant third position.
“Our state is currently under serious siege, by bandits, kidnappers, with cattle rustlers taking the third position. Kidnapping is now the order of the day in Katsina State. Armed robbery is also, now, the order of the day in Katsina State.
“Only two days ago, some people left my residence at about 3:00a.m and when they got to the Ring Road area, a gang of about five fully armed men robbed them at gunpoint.
“So, this is how bad it has become now. All the security reports I received today (yesterday) is either about kidnappings or armed robbery.
“So, our state is under siege, and that is why we decided to call for this extraordinary meeting. No one, including myself, is safe.
“That is why we are here, to discuss and find a way out, and we must find a way because we are talking about the survival of our people and the survival of our state.
“A woman, I was told, was picked and after demanding N5 million they shot the person who took the money to them.
“We had seen the worst before and we can equally get out of this situation now, also. We must work together to find a solution as to who does what, when, where and how.”
“This is a bad situation and we can no longer continue to fold our arms. Even if this meeting takes us into midnight, we must find a solution today.”
Katsina State shares boundaries with seven states, including Zamfara State, where banditry is currently reigns in spite of intensified joint military operations by the security forces.
