The Governor of Katsina State, Dikko Radda, has said his administration will not enter into any negotiations with bandits terrorising parts of the state but remains open to peaceful resolutions initiated by communities.
Radda stated this while inaugurating 100 additional members of the Community Watch Corps (C-Watch) in Katsina on Wednesday.
He recalled that when his administration launched the C-Watch initiative about two years ago, it was “in uncharted territory” with a steep learning curve and high uncertainty.
He said, “We were a new administration with the arduous task of bringing peace and security to many parts of the state.
“The only thing I was certain about was my administration’s determination to bring an end to banditry.
“I campaigned on it, and the trust of the people was not going to be forsaken.
“The headlines say the Katsina State Government was negotiating with bandits, but that was far from reality.
“I have publicly maintained that the government will not negotiate with bandits but always welcome peace.”
He explained that the ‘Katsina Model’ adopts a community-driven approach that allows members of affected areas to initiate and negotiate peace pacts with repentant bandits willing to surrender their weapons.
“The role of the state government is to encourage and support the peace process while maintaining law and order in these communities.
“Our focus is to ensure that communities that enjoy peace also benefit socio-economically, giving our people a dignified existence,” he said.
The governor highlighted the success of the community peace accord initiative.
He said that Jibia had enjoyed eight months without a major attack, while Batsari had recorded seven months of uninterrupted peace.
“Other local governments, such as Danmusa, Safana, Faskari, and Sabuwa, have also witnessed relative calm since adopting the initiative,” Radda added.
The governor stressed that kinetic measures by federal security agencies remain vital to Katsina’s overall security efforts.
“This ceremony is proof that the State Government will not relent in fighting insecurity and banditry wherever they exist.
“Those who wish to return to crime will face the full force of the law,” he said.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr. Nasir Mu’azu, said the governor had significantly reduced insecurity through a homegrown community approach.
“No doubt, he saw, he analysed, and he conquered, using a homegrown initiative of community approach, where young able-bodied men from their various communities were selected, screened, trained, and deployed to serve as the first line of defence to their communities,” Mu’azu said.
He noted that the event marked the third phase of C-Watch training, following the first held in October 2023 and the second in November 2024.
Mu’azu added that the newly trained officers would be deployed to Kankia and Dutsin-Ma Local Government Areas, with 50 officers assigned to each.
