Katsina State Governor, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, says his administration is fully committed to tackling insecurity through community-driven strategies that empower citizens to take responsibility for their safety and development.
He made this known during the passing-out ceremony of 200 members of the Batch III Katsina State Community Watch Corps, held at the College of Peace and Disaster Management, Nigeria Civil Defence Training College, Babbar Ruga, Katsina.
According to Mediaplusng.com, the newly trained corps include 196 males and 4 females, equipped with unarmed combat and community security training. Their primary assignment is to help curb crimes such as phone and handbag snatching, which have become rampant in some urban communities.
Governor Radda explains that 50 personnel will be deployed to Kankia and another 50 to Dutsinma, to strengthen ongoing security efforts in the two local government areas. Dutsinma borders Safana, Danmusa, and Matazu—areas identified as hotspots for banditry.
He adds that with this new batch, 20 out of the 34 local governments in Katsina now have a presence of the Community Watch Corps. The initiative, he says, is not just a short-term measure but a vision to restore lasting peace through a people-centered approach.
The governor emphasizes that his administration’s shift from purely military (“kinetic”) tactics to a non-kinetic, community-led approach is already yielding results. He highlights that several local governments that signed peace accords with repentant bandits have experienced sustained calm.
> “In Jibia, we’ve gone eight months without major attacks, while Batsari has recorded seven months of peace. Danmusa, Safana, Faskari, Sabuwa, and Dandume have also enjoyed relative stability,” Governor Radda notes.
He adds that other local governments—Musawa, Matazu, Dutsinma, Kurfi, Malumfashi, Bakori, Kafur, and Funtua—have embraced the peace accord, and the state government continues to monitor these areas to support sustainable peace.
Governor Radda also reaffirms his administration’s collaboration with the Federal Government in implementing kinetic measures against bandits wherever they operate.
Meanwhile, Mediaplusng.com reports that the Chairman of the State Standing Committee on the Recruitment of the Community Watch Corps, Major General Junaidu Bindawa (Rtd), commends the new operatives for their discipline and commitment. He explains that the corps will work closely with conventional security agencies to gather intelligence and prevent crime at the grassroots.
> “These young men and women are trained to protect their communities, not to create problems. They will serve as a bridge between the people and formal security forces,” Bindawa says.
With this initiative, the Katsina State Government reinforces its vision of ending banditry, phone snatching, and related crimes while building a more secure, peaceful, and united state.
