Governor Dikko Umaru Radda has stressed the need for the Nigerian military to expand its Operation Hadarin Daji exercise, which focuses on anti-banditry and cattle rustling, among other security challenges in the North Central and West zones.
Radda made the appeal on Thursday when he paid a courtesy call on General Christopher Musa, the Chief of Defence Staff, CDS.
Speaking during his visit to Gen. Musa at the Defence Headquarters, DHQ, the Governor lamented that armed banditry and other violent security threats are ravaging the people and economy of Katsina State.
According to him, thousands of innocent citizens in the State have been killed, even as a permanent solution for banditry and other violent criminalities in Katsina is not yet in sight.
“We are here to appraise you of my administration’s modest effort to end banditry and general insecurity in Katsina. Of course, we are not unaware of the Nigerian Armed Forces’ strides to liberate our dear Katsina from the clutches of terrorists,” he said.
Mal. Dikko Radda observed that the Nigerian military, in spite of the overstretching of its troops, has helped to curb the atrocious activities of bandits in the State.
He however, said that expanding the scope of Operation Hadarin Daji to cover the entire 34 local governments in the State, will help to further decimate the population of criminal bandits and insurgents in Katsina.
He equally opined that the rationale behind establishing the Katsina State Community Watch Corps is to complement the efforts of military troops and other conventional security agencies in ridding Katsina of violent elements.
“I wish to assure you that the Katsina State Government, under my leadership, will always support the Nigerian Armed Forces. However, we shall not hesitate to seek your collaboration towards making our dear State safe and secured.
“If Katsina State must be rid of terrorists, then the need for my administration to partner and collaborate with the Defence Headquarters, under your able watch, cannot be overstressed. It is something we just have to do,” Governor Radda told Gen. Musa.
Responding, the Defence Chief commended the Katsina State Government for establishing the Community Watch Corps, which he said will help tame banditry and youth restiveness, among other crimes in the State.
He said: “Your Excellency, I must commend you for showing genuine interest in seeking a lasting answer to Katsina’s banditry crisis. The Community Corps you recently established, if replicated by other States in the North West and North Central, will assist greatly in tackling terrorism in the two regions”.
Gen. Musa assured Governor Radda that the military will continue to review its combat operation in line with prevailing realities, so as to tackle armed banditry and general insecurity in the country.
