Governor Dikko Umar Radda of Katsina State has announced that his administration is empowering residents to defend themselves against banditry by providing training programs. In an interview with the BBC Hausa service, Radda explained that many communities in Katsina have become less accessible to bandits due to the proactive measures taken by locals.
Radda emphasized that the current number of security operatives in Nigeria is insufficient to combat the escalating insecurity. He highlighted the importance of self-defense and community involvement in augmenting the efforts of conventional security forces. His administration has initiated training programs for local youth to equip them with the skills needed to protect their communities before security operatives can respond to threats.
“We are not advocating for people to take up arms indiscriminately. What we are saying is that the existing security personnel are not enough to ensure the safety of all citizens,” Radda stated. He called on communities to contribute their youth for training, which has already begun to yield positive results, as evidenced by the increased safety in several areas.
Radda lamented the ease with which small groups of armed bandits can instill fear in larger populations, stating, “It is unfortunate how three or four boys with a gun or two could wreak havoc in a community of 500 or 1,000 or 2,000 people.”
To address this challenge, Radda’s administration established the “Katsina Community Watch,” recruiting and training local youth, and providing them with operational tools to support the efforts of security agencies in maintaining peace and order in the state.
