From Agaju Madugba, Katsina and Molly Kilete, Abuja

Katsina Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, has lamented that at least 10 out of the 34 local government areas of the state are under siege of bandits and other criminal elements.

“…With this situation in mind, there is no way we can sleep,” Masari told the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen. Farouk Yahaya  at the Government House, yesterday.

“If we say we are happy here in Katsina, then we are not being honest. We are disturbed by this issue of banditry, with kidnappings, rape, armed robbery as everyday, we record at least one or two incidents.

“But we thank God because if you compare the current situation with what was obtainable about six months ago, there is progress in restoring the situation to normalcy. 

“As I have often said, this issue is everybody’s business. It is not only the business of security agencies. It is our collective responsibility to secure our communities.

“These bandits are people who have been living peacefully with their neighbours for centuries but somewhere along the line, something went wrong and that is how we found ourselves in this situation.

“We can overcome the situation and restore normalcy to our communities but this can only be possible with the cooperation of everybody including media operators.

“If we want to depend solely on the security agencies, how many are they, compared to the population and the sheer size of Nigeria.

“We have amended our local government laws by creating a three-tier security system starting from the ward level in order to include local leaders and restore the roles of the village and district heads, the imams and other community leaders and bring everybody on board, to help the security agencies.

“We have passed the era of the blame game as we must do whatever it takes to return things to normalcy in our communities and give government the opportunity to do what it is supposed to do.

“The purpose of governance is being seriously challenged. The purpose of government is to protect lives and property and honour and dignity of citizens.

“But when this purpose is under attack then the entire system is under attack.

“With technology you can fight wars with minimum number of personnel. So, I hope, the Army authorities will deploy  technology so that that we can bring these banditry activists under control.”

The COAS told the governor that he was on operational visit to the state to interact with the troops in order to know their challenges. The visit was also to seek the continued support of the state government. He commended him for his logistic and equipment support.

Yahaya assured that the military would continue to work with other security agencies in the state to ensure relative peace.

He called on the public to support the army in the discharge of their duties, especially by providing them with necessary information on criminals.

The COAS had earlier paid a similar visit to the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmuminu Kabir-Usman, who also expressed concern over the issue of insecurity in the state.

The Emir, therefore, appealed to the COAS to take all the necessary measures for Katsina communities to regain their peace and assured him of all the necessary support from the emirate.

Meanwhile, Federal Government has again reiterated its commitment to equip the Nigerian Armed Forces to enable it carry out its responsibilities of securing the country from activities of terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and other criminal groups terrorizing the peace of the nation.

The Federal Government has also promised to ensure the armed forces is well trained and personnel adequately motivated to achieve its statutory mandate.

Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi, made this known while commissioning the directing staff quarters of the National Defence College (NDC), at its permanent site Piwowi, Abuja.

Magashi, while commending the armed forces for their resilience, commitment and bravery in keeping the country one.

“As Minister of Defence, | shall continue to encourage and galvanize efforts towards ensuring that the Armed Forces is sufficiently equipped, well trained and adequately motivated to achieve their statutory mandate.”

He equally commended the National Defence College for sustaining its achievement as a centre of excellence and promised to ensure the college moves to its permanent site in the shortest possible time.

“The Ministry of Defence, under my leadership will continue to support the National Defence College at all times in sustaining its achievements as a Centre of Excellence and attain further enviable heights among other Defence Colleges globally.  I also reiterate my full support in fast-tracking the completion of other ongoing projects in the College to ensure its relocation to the permanent site here in Piwoyi within the shortest possible time”.

The NDC Commandant, Rear Admiral Oladele Daji, said the new edifice would ameliorate the challenge of accommodation faced by the college over the years.

He said concerted efforts had being made towards the relocation of the college from its current temporary sites in the Central Business District to the permanent site since 2007.

He said contract for infrastructural development and building construction was awarded in 2007, adding that the projects suffered some delays due to budgetary constraints and inflation.

“The relocation of the college to the permanent site will ensure that both the faculty and administrative staff operate from a common place thereby ensuring that college activities are well harmonised.

“Currently, most of the college stuff reside in different locations like Gwarimpa, Apo, Maitama and Ushafa.

“Recently, there has been pressure from the FCT administration for the college to relocate its staff residing at Apo following the sales of the Apo quarters.

“With the completion of the directing staff quarter1, a sizable number of staff will be relocated from Apo while the remaining will be relocated on completion of the directing staff quarters2 sometime in 2023,” he said.

The commandant disclosed that the college had completed four blocks of building housing its participants and some members of staff while the work on the administrative building was ongoing.

He thanked President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Defence, for giving the college the needed support to make it a centre of excellence.