Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, said insecurity has been tackled to about 70 percent in the state, saying administration would not consider negotiating with bandits terrorising innocent citizens.

“My stance as a governor is that I won’t negotiate with bandits at the point of weakness,” Mr Radda declared during an interview on S24 TV posted on X on Wednesday. “I will not start begging bandits to come and negotiate with me.”

The governor added, “We have addressed the issue to about 70% in Katsina State with the support of conventional security agencies and community watch. You may not say you can address insecurity one time because this thing has been on for almost 15 years in the state.”

Mr Radda decried the proliferation of moles supporting criminals in the state, adding that the situation made the fight against banditry and other forms of insecurity complex and difficult.

The governor said, “What makes the fight difficult is you don’t know who you’re fighting because these people are within us. Most of the informants are sleeping with us and people who supply them with logistics, ammunition, motorcycles and others are all within us. So, it’s complex that you don’t even know the people you’re fighting. 

“Some people you sit with in meetings to fight these people may be parts of them. That makes it complicated. As you’re fighting it, they are fighting back. Sometimes, when there are attacks and you send security agencies, they are ambushed because terrorists know that they are coming. This is the situation we are operating.’’

Mr Radda advocated a collaborative and holistic approach to fight insecurity, adding some communities negotiate with bandits due to lack of necessary support.

“Some communities find it necessary to negotiate with bandits and have a peace deal. That is why it is difficult and needs a collaborative approach so that the issue can be addressed holistically. If we don’t do that, we will keep on having these issues,” he advised.

Mr Radda’s statement came amid renewed efforts by the Nigerian government to combat security challenges across the country, after President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a country of particular concern and threatened military invasion in the country against terrorists allegedly killing Christians.

The Chief of Army Staff, Waidi Shaibu, recently described the security situation especially in the North-East as satisfactory and assured Nigerians of improved security across the country.