Governor Dikko Umar Radda of Katsina State has revealed that many bandit attacks are facilitated by village and community heads.
He cited an incident where a village head allegedly accepted ₦700,000 from bandits, allowing them to invade his village and resulting in the deaths of 30 residents.
Addressing the 2025 Citizens’ Budget Participation Process and launching the state’s Community Development Programmes, Governor Radda emphasized that merely paying ransom will not resolve the banditry issue plaguing the state. He expressed frustration over the ineffective response of security agents and the dire need for community involvement in combating these attacks.
Governor Radda unveiled a new initiative aimed at empowering communities to defend themselves. He announced that any community willing to take a stand against bandits will receive necessary support and training to engage criminals before the arrival of security forces.
He recounted a recent visit to Tsamiyar-jino, a village so remote that it took him two hours in a Jeep to reach it from the main road. He noted the challenge faced by security agents, who would require more than two hours to respond to an attack, during which significant damage could occur.
“The security agents cannot manage this alone,” Governor Radda stated. “We do not have enough personnel to cover every area effectively.”
He expressed his dismay over the passive response of communities under attack, highlighting the disparity between the numbers of bandits and the local population. Governor Radda criticized the practice of paying ransoms, noting that it often does not prevent harm to victims.
He further revealed that a village head’s representative was involved in the distribution of ₦700,000 to bandits, which enabled them to enter the village and perpetrate violence. Additionally, a teacher serving as an informant for the bandits was among those arrested.
Governor Radda’s remarks underscore the urgent need for a coordinated effort between local communities and security forces to tackle the persistent banditry in Katsina.