The governor of Katsina State, Dikko Umar Radda, has pledged to execute the criminals responsible for the killings and damage of property worth billions of naira in the state.He revealed to reporters in Abuja that the Community Watch Corps was established with the intention of achieving the objective.
The governor emphasized the necessity for the populace to cooperate with security forces in order to nip the threat of bandits and terrorists in the bud. The plan has received support from the Katsina State House of Assembly.
He stated that he regularly hears accounts of kidnappings, killings, and the theft of agricultural goods by bandits. He acknowledged that he had received multiple death threats from the bandits.
He claimed that arming the 1,500-member Community Watch Corps with guns would be appropriate in order to combat terrorists and robbers who constitute an existential threat to the state's populace.
It is a two-edged sword, he remarked. Because we lack the advanced weapons that these thieves do, we cannot lay down our weapons and declare that we will not defend ourselves.
"We have the numbers; we have the zeal and the determination, and you should keep in mind that if they go on any outings, they will be protected by the police and the military, who are both heavily armed, exactly like it was done in Borno through the Civilian JTF.
Therefore, I believe it to be a coordinated effort. And I believe that we are gradually operating within the bounds of what the law permits. We are limited to what the law permits us to do. We are moving in that direction and pushing for improvements in the federal government on this front.
"If a thief can enter a market and purchase an AK-47, an RPG, and other weapons, what about the people who want to defend themselves? They too should be given the same rights." We're attempting to hold it lawfully while these people are holding it illegally.
"Why won't the government let the people hold this and face the difficulties equally? I'm telling you that the bandits are in a panic, and that what this situation needs is courage, the courage to confront it. You should also keep in mind that the army and the police are losing members daily, so anyone who makes the sacrifice to provide this kind of service cannot rule out suffering harm or losing his life while carrying out his duties.
"That is the price that one must pay. One must make a sacrifice in order to deal with this circumstance. Even though I have received numerous threats, I won't let it stop me. I've said it before, but I'll only pass away once, not twice, and the only coward who would stand by and let someone else kill him is himself.
"We have a responsibility to look out for ourselves. Allowing someone to just come and kill us and steal our property without a fight is even against our religious beliefs. The government wants to protect us, so we must work hard to do so. Therefore, we are looking to work together to fix the problems.
When asked if the creation of the Community Watch Corps was comparable to covertly reinstalling state police, he responded, "The issue is it has to start from someplace. The law has been enacted in Zamfara, Sokoto is doing the same, and other states are attempting to form committees, as I just indicated.
"Because, as I've already indicated, without the participation of neighboring States, we will not succeed. Therefore, we are already working together on this. The problem is that we will continue to serve in government and do the best we can for as long as we are in office.
"I'm telling you, the state assembly passed this law, and the governor signed it, so whoever takes office would have to repeal it in order to halt it. Because the mandate is four years, we must establish a law before we begin because it may last longer after we go.
"85% of our population is engaged in some type of agricultural activity as a source of livelihood for every citizen of the State," he continued. I already mentioned that it had an impact on productivity, but the good news is that in some areas, it's even illegal to go to a farm, and some State citizens were treated like slaves; they would do all the farming, at which point the bandits would show up with their guns, harvest it, and take it to the home of the bandits' leaders.
"They were made slaves in a free nation where everyone is entitled to life and a decent standard of living. And it astounds me to hear certain individuals refer to the violation of human rights. Who is violating whom?
"Those people you slaughter, those people you rape their wives, those people you don't let on farms? Are those individuals breaching human rights, or are they only doing so when a bandit is killed? We need to redefine what human rights are, I guess.