Katsina youths resident in the FCT are calling for a declaration of a state of emergency in their home state, following the growing insecurity witnessed across several villages and communities in the state.
The president’s home state has witnessed heightened insecurity in recent times with bandits and terrorists operating freely across Katsina State.
The youths under the auspices of Concern Katsina Youth Vanguard, said the situation in the state has degenerated to a point where locals now flee to neighbouring countries for safety but are further exploited and often maltreated there.
Spokesman of the group, Mallam Abubakar Makera, stressed that many of the non-state actors who are laying siege on their communities have plunged them into a state of helplessness, adding that killings which ordinarily seem frightening has become a usual occurrence in most Katsina communities.
Makera, in a statement, listed some of the attacks witnessed across the state since 2019. He revealed that in December 2019, over 29 attacks were launched on different communities within Dutsin-Ma local government alone, adding that the area has recorded the highest armed attacks in the region.
Giving a timeline on some of the attacks witnessed across Katsina State in 2022, the group disclosed that on 4th July, bandits gathered at a village close to Zakka to plan a major attack on Dutsin-Ma and its surrounding.
“The very next day, on the 5th of July, the advance team of the presidential convoy was attacked at Marke village in Makera ward of Dutsin-Ma LGA and that same day, the gallant Police Area Commondant who attempted to approach them with team, was ambushed and killed.
“Also on the 13th of July, bandits attacked a village called Yar-budu and Kudewa and then on 17th July the bandits succeeded in invading Dutsin-Ma where they attacked KATARDA and Shema Quarters, kidnapping a 9 months pregnant woman alongside 11 other people in the process.”
Narrating other attacks witnessed earlier in the year, Makera disclosed that on 30th May, 2022 Bandit attacked Sokoto Rima Quarters where they kidnapped an elderly person.
“Also, about a month ago, gunmen believed to be bandits invaded Farfaru and Kwari communities in Jibia local government area, killing scores of people mostly women and children, while over 80 were kidnapped, shops and food barns were also burnt.
He added that bandits also attacked Kwari community in Jibia local government abducted many villagers and left many others injured, stressing that those kidnapped were among the over 2000 fleeing villagers now taking refuge at a primary school in Jibiya town.
According to the group, “This ugly security threat is becoming worrisome and embarrassing because this is the home state of President Muhammadu Buhari who is the chief security officer of the country.
“It is obvious that the situation is beyond the security agents attached to the state. Therefore, we are using this medium to call on the federal government to deploy more security to the area before it is too late. Mr. President should act now,” he affirmed
The spokesman further said, “To assume that things would get better if we pray harder is to attempt to live in the clouds. If the data provided above is anything to go by, things are likely to even get worse. The reality is that if we fail to deal with the security issues crippling Katsins state, the entire country will inevitably slide into utter chaos.”
