99% of bandits in Katsina are from Zamfara — Gov Masari

Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Masari, says natives of Zamfara State are responsible for the killings, kidnappings and other acts of banditry in his state.

Masari said 99 per cent of bandits that kept terrorizing farming communities in Dandume, Faskari and Sabuwa Local Government Areas (LGA) of Katsina, all came from the neighbouring Zamfara State.

The governor made this known to newsmen Sunday evening shortly after inspecting a proposed site for the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) Airstrip in Funtua Local Government Area of the state.

He said, “The only places that we are having problems are Faskari, Sabuwa and Dandume Local Governments but all other local governments in the state, especially Jibia, Batsari, Safana and Danmusa there is relative peace.

“From the reports I receive every morning, if you find any case of rustling or kidnapping, it is mostly around Faskari, Sabuwa and Dandume. We have been complaining to the military authorities to take full control of Gurbi-Gidan Jaja-Kaura Namoda areas of Zamfara State.

“Unless security is fully reinforced in the areas because that is the danger zone where most of the bandits live and move freely. We cannot secure Katsina without security in Zamfara, because 99 per cent of all the attacks and kidnappings happening in Katsina are from Zamfara.”

On negotiating with the criminals, the governor said his government would no longer do that because the marauders failed to accept the first and second rapprochement reached between them and his government.

Recently, 26 Katsina girls kidnapped by bandits in their state and taken to Zamfara were freed following Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State’s intervention