Kidnappings: ‘Declare State of Emergency in Katsina’

A member of Governor Aminu Bello Masari’s Cabinet and Special Adviser to the Governor on Higher Education, Muhammad Bashir Ruwangodiya, Saturday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a State of Emergency in Katsina State, to address squarely the menace of growing insecurity, kidnappings and other related criminality in the state.

Ruwangodiya who made the above declaration during an exclusive interview with a select group of journalists from The Nation and Channels Television, decried the lack of synergy amongst security forces, poor motivation of personnel and the rivalry between the Military and the Nigerian Police Force especially on funding security operations code named ‘’Puff Adder’’ in the 8 frontline local government areas bordering Zamfara state.

He said ’’what is presently happening to our dear Katsina state should be of serious concern to all. A situation where villages and communities are ransacked and set ablaze at will and sometimes repeatedly, citizens are kidnapped with huge ransom demanded on them and people running here and there to source money to pay and living in perpetual fear, demands urgent and prompt action from Mr President’’

‘’in kasai village in Basari for instance ,the bandits attacked the village three times, with the Police and security operatives remaining helpless and couldn’t secure the people and no lesson or preventive measures taken’’

‘’in Kankara ,after the Police mopped up arms from the village, the bandits struck and destroyed lives and properties, with the police doing nothing even after receiving early warning signals’’

The Former Civil Right Activist further described the present security situation in the state as having Political underpinnings, pointing at the kidnap incident in Daura involving the In-law of the President as a direct affront on the President to see what he can do as the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces.

He said‘’ the criminals and their sponsors will be saying now that we have punched the President, let’s see what he can do. It has been happening previously away from him and no serious action elicited now that his own family is attacked let’s see what he can do’’

‘’these attacks has political underpinnings designed to incite fear, hatred and reproach on the President to cause the people that held him in awe to turn around and reject him’’

He called on the federal government to declare a state of emergency and direct the Chief of Army Staff to relocate to Katsina and stay there until sanity is restored, adding that the state government has made enormous contributions in support of security operations in the state, but no result to show for the efforts of Government.”