The Katsina government says it is recording huge successes in the ongoing fight against criminality despite the recent attack on traders in Danmusa Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

The commissioner for internal security and home affairs, Nasiru Muazu-Danmusa, made this known in an interview with journalists on Saturday in Katsina.

He said that there has been remarkable progress in the fight against cattle rustling, banditry, kidnapping and other forms of criminality since the inception of the administration of Gov. Dikko Radda.

“The problem has now reduced to about 60 per cent from the reliable information we have been receiving across the state.

“That is why the terrorists resorted to using other ways in perpetuating their heinous acts,” he said.

“We condemned what happened in Danmusa LGA, where the bandits attacked traders on their way to Yantumaki market from Maidabino,” he added.

“They laid ambush against the traders, killing at least six persons and injuring others, including two of the security personnel escorting the traders,” he said

He, however, revealed that the bandits also suffered heavily during the attack as many of them were neutralised.

“It was reliably gathered that no fewer than 16 of the terrorists were killed at the scene by security operatives during the encounter and many escaped with gunshot wounds,” he said.

The commissioner, therefore, warned residents in the local communities against harbouring criminals, saying whoever was found wanting would not be spared.

“It is unfortunate and unpatriotic that some people supply information about their communities to the terrorists,” he said.

“Some evil people who don’t wish the society well also supply food and drugs to terrorists, there were others who offer medical treatment to them when they sustained gunshot wounds.

“This is quite unfortunate, and it constitutes a serious challenge in our efforts of securing the state and its people,” he noted.

Mr Muazu-Danmusa urged the residents of the state to always volunteer useful and vital information to security operatives that would assist in securing their lives and property.

The commissioner further urged the residents to redouble their efforts in encouraging the security personnel deployed to their communities, saying this would boost their morale.

He also urged the residents to continue to seek for devine intervention to end the insecurity challenges in the state and the nation at large.

(NAN)