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Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, has revealed a disturbing incident where a community leader accepted a bribe of ₦700,000 from bandits, which led to the tragic killing of 30 people in his village.
The governor shared this shocking information during a town hall meeting in Daura over the weekend. The meeting, titled ‘Public Engagement: 2025 Citizens’ Budget Participation Process,’ focused on addressing security challenges in the state.
Governor Radda expressed his commitment to helping communities defend themselves against bandits, kidnappers, and other criminals.
He emphasized the importance of local involvement in combating these crimes, stating that security agents cannot handle the situation alone due to their limited numbers.
Radda recounted his visit to a remote village, Tsamiyar-jino, where it took him two hours in a jeep to reach the village from the main road. He explained that if bandits attacked such remote areas, security agents would take too long to respond, often arriving after the damage had been done.
The governor urged communities to take a stand against the criminals. He mentioned that five armed bandits could easily terrorize a village of 2,000 to 3,000 people because the villagers failed to confront them. He encouraged the youth in such communities to defend their families and stop relying solely on security forces.
Radda also highlighted the failure of paying ransom to bandits, noting that even after payments, victims were sometimes still killed by their abductors.
In a shocking revelation, the governor accused a representative of a village head of colluding with bandits. According to him, the leader accepted ₦700,000 from the criminals and allowed them to enter the village, resulting in the deaths of 30 people. He also mentioned that women were arrested, and a teacher was serving as an informant for the bandits, pointing to widespread involvement in the criminal activities.
To tackle this crisis, the Katsina State government has established a community watch corps. These trained individuals have been provided with rifles, bulletproof vests, uniforms, and shoes. They work alongside the police and army to protect residents and fight back against banditry in the state.
