The Katsina state branch of the Nigeria Hunters Council (NHC) has thrown its weight behind efforts by the state government and security operatives to contain banditry attacks and other criminality in the state.
Assistant Commandant General (ACG) of the council Hajia Ummah Dauda made the offer when she led other members of the state council when they visited Secretary to State Government (SGS) Mustapha Inuwa in Katsina.
Hajia Dauda said the hunters have immuned themselves against bullets and other weapons as well as understood the forest terrain, which she called, an added advantage.
She said: “We know the forests very well and the truth of the matter is that we want to help our government in the fight against banditry because even guns cannot penetrate us. We are warriors and fighters.
“That is why we want to offer ourselves to the government to also use us in combating the menace of this security challenge.
“Our members in each local government areas are more than 100. Even in some councils, we have over 200 hunters and all of them are warriors. History has it that some of our men caught bandits with their bare hands and handed them over to security agents.
“We are ready to find these bandits now if we are giving permission to do so, considering that we know all nooks and cranny of the forests around.”
She used the medium to plead for office accommodation, among other essential requirements to enable the organisation work effectively in the state.
The Secretary to State Government, who welcome the idea of the hunters, on behalf of Governor Aminu Bello Masari, said the administration is poised to curb the prevailing insecurity situation, including banditry attacks, hence critical stakeholders like the hunters are welcome, especially to lead the security operatives into the forests.
