I do not know whether the video of Katsina Governor Dikko Umar Radda, PhD, where he appeared to be taking a selfie while walking in a comfortable-looking resting room, is recent or old. What I am sure of, however, is the brutality with which bandits continue to torment my hometown Malumfashi, its environs, and the southern part of Katsina (Karaduwa) in general.
On Tuesday, bandits unleashed terror on Muslims observing the early morning prayer (Subhi), killing 13 people according to official government figures. However, some residents claimed the number was closer to 23, with about 20 others abducted in the town. This tragedy happened a day after the governor began his annual leave.
To be candid, Governor Radda may have chosen a very inauspicious time to go on his annual leave to “seek medical help,” as he stated in the letter transmitting power to his Deputy, His Excellency Faruk Lawal Jobe, the Sarkin Fulani of Katsina.
The governor was fortunate to be able to travel abroad for medical attention. Sadly, the 13 victims in Malumfashi were not so fortunate. They were killed by non-state actors who continue to defy the combined efforts of soldiers, police, and other security agencies.
The frequency of bandit attacks in southern Katsina has forced some residents to resort to protests by blocking highways leading to towns in the area, in a bid to draw the attention of authorities who have repeatedly promised to protect “lives and property.”
It is obvious to ordinary citizens that this promise has not been fully kept. What remains puzzling is why the authorities, despite having access to sophisticated equipment—Air Force planes, drones, advanced weapons, and trained personnel—are still unable to defeat these rag-tag groups of criminals.
Meanwhile, videos have circulated online in which some bandit leaders claim to have grown wealthy enough to abandon crime, but insist they cannot because of unnamed powerful interests. These claims, though unverified, deepen public suspicion and frustration.
As a result, a culture of blocking highways is gradually becoming common in southern Katsina, as communities struggle to draw attention to their plight. In one recent case, a security officer traveling from Funtua to Malumfashi was stopped by protesters and forced to take a detour, which added 40 minutes to his journey.
This is now a regular occurrence, just like the bandit attacks. Yet, President Tinubu recently stated in Japan, while accompanied by senior government officials including the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, that security in Nigeria had improved due to the efforts of the military and other agencies. To many Nigerians, however, the reality appears to be the opposite—especially in the North West.
Ironically, more than half of the nation’s top security positions are currently occupied by Northerners—the National Security Adviser, the two Ministers of Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, and others. Yet, the region remains plagued by Boko Haram in the North East, bandits in the North West, and militias in the North Central.
Banditry in Katsina has been persistent. Initially, Governor Radda showed determination to tackle it. In fact, in an earlier commentary, I commended him for challenging the military high command over alleged compromises in the fight against banditry. That confrontation even sparked a public exchange between him and the military.
As chairman of the North West Governors’ Forum, Dr. Radda last year also led a delegation of his colleagues to the United States for a security meeting with experts. Earlier, he had established the Katsina State Community Watch Corps—a local rapid response initiative against bandit threats. He also directed that laws against banditry and aiding criminals (informants) be strengthened with harsher penalties.
However, barely a year later, the menace has only intensified in Katsina and across the North West. The Honourable Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr. Nasir Mua’zu, certainly has his hands full as the criminals continue to strike with even greater audacity.
For these reasons, His Excellency may be well advised to cut short his leave and return home, because the situation is deteriorating. Not that the Acting Governor is incapable—he is intelligent and experienced—but the substantive authority and responsibility to lead the state at this critical moment lie with the governor himself.
May God expose and bring to justice the bandits and their enablers, whoever and wherever they may be.
Malumfashi wrote from Katsina.
