IGP Adamu visits Katsina, takes aim at banditry, rising crime

From Agaju Madugba, Katsina

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, arrived Katsina on Wednesday vowing to rid the state of attacks by hoodlums and bandits.

‘I am in Katsina to see the men and officers of the Katsina State Command in order to restrategise, to ensure we make Katsina crime-free,’ the IGP said at a brief ceremony at the police.

According to him, ‘we are aware of what happened recently when students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, were kidnapped.

‘It was an unfortunate situation and we have resolved that we should never allow such a thing to happen again.

‘For us to do that, I felt I should come and restrategise with the officers and men, especially the tactical unit, area commanders, DPOs, and commanders of Operation Puff Adder, so that what happened should never happen again in this state.

‘The police is the lead agency in internal security and for. that reason, we should never give any opportunities for criminals to thrive.

‘Banditry has moved from the epicentre that we used to know and now converge on Katsina State and we have resolved not to allow that.

‘We need to restrategise with other stakeholders and the citizens and other law enforcement agencies to man every nook and cranny of the state and not allow any space for these criminals to operate, whether in the morning, in the afternoon or in the night.’

Reports indicate that banditry and kidnappings have become a daily occurrence in parts of Kaduna, with eight of the 34 local government areas most affected.

Apart from the celebrated abduction and subsequent rescue of over the 344 students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, on December 11, suspected bandits had also on December 19, abducted about 80 students of an Islamiya (Koranic) school at Dandume Local Government Area of the state.

Last Monday night, suspected bandits also struck at Kaigar Malamai village of Dan-Musa Local Government Area where they reportedly kidnapped 17 residents including the village head and his two wives.