Ibrahim Ahmad Katsina is the Special Adviser on Security to Governor Aminu Masari. In this interview, the former Director with the Department of State Services (DSS) speaks on the impacts of security measures taken to tackle banditry and the outcome of the recent security meeting in the state.
21 CENTURY CHRONICLE: It has been two weeks since the state government took new measures – suspension of telecommunication networks, ban on sales of petrol in jerrycans among others – against banditry in the state, what are the result?
Katsina: We give gratitude to God for the results we’re seeing. If we had known that these would be the outcome, we would have taken the decisions since. We’ve tried other options before now, but the recent one has been paying off. We’re seeing the results of what we’ve done. It is good that the measures are not taken by the Katsina state government alone, but other states in the North West region. Alhamdulillah, the results have been positive so far.
What about prevalent cases of attacks, abductions, and killings of people in the state?
I know. I didn’t say we’ve wiped out these people. But the attacks have reduced and the bandits have been broken. We’re recording successes. We’re not necessarily in a hurry, but we’re gradually reducing their capabilities.
And we’re assessing the situation to know where we’ve made an impact and where we have shortcomings in order to know areas of improvement. All we want the general public to know is that we didn’t impose the decisions to make life difficult for them, rather ensure the protection of life and properties. We need cooperation and understanding from the public.
The decisions were taken because we as leaders of the people and must take all the necessary measures to address the issue of insecurity.
After Zamfara state announced the suspension of telecommunication networks and close some markets, we decided to fast-track our decisions to ensure that the impact is positively felt. When bandits were chased out of Zamfara they could have streamed into Katsina if we haven’t taken the same measures.
Are there challenges in the implementation of the security measures?
Yes. We’ve encountered issues from some people because some people still believe that the decisions were taken to hurt them. The state police command, for instance, has been parading suspects still buying fuel for the bandits, and people that still tried to export cattle out of the state. Some people are only thinking of what to get, the monetary aspect. But overall, I will say the impact is positive.
What can you say about complaints from small businesses owners, especially on the ban on selling fuel in jerrycans in the metropolis?
We only ban sales of petrol in jerrycans, but people can go to fuel stations with their generators to buy petrol. We want to prevent the situation whereby people will buy fuel in large quantities inside jerrycans and take them to bandits. We can’t say small businesses owners should come with jerrycans, how do we differentiate between the real business owners and other people that will take advantage of that. If an informant comes with a jerrican and says that he has a grinding machine, who will say no to him?
These are some of the sacrifices people have to make. But thank God, many people take their grinding machine, vulcanizing machine, and generating set to the filling stations to buy fuel.
How long will take for the government to relax the partial lockdown of the telecommunication network and closure of markets in the state?
It’s not meant to last forever because we know there are impacts on the economy and social aspects of the people. The measures are interim. When we make an impact assessment and see the results, there will definitely be a review. So, these are temporary measures aim at fighting banditry. But it’s the impact that will determine what happens next.
If after these measures, bandits continue to attack and kill people, what other approach will the government adopt?
Well, we don’t hope it’ll continue. What we believe is that after these measures, their activities will be of limited proportion. And as these measures are being put in place, we’re also making our own strategy because the essence is to reduce it to the barest minimum and by the time we’re able to cripple it, we’ll think of an alternative arrangement that will accommodate everybody.
What arrangement is that… are you going to dialogue with them?
No. You see, part of the measures we’re taking is that of public enlightenment and perception management for even the criminals, we want them to know that the government is not killing for fun. No, the government is after them because they’ve turned into something else. So, we want a situation whereby society will go back to normalcy. Let them and their families understand the concept. That the path they’ve taken is wrong. So, while we’re fighting them, we’re enlightening others that are yet to join not to do because the end will be bad for them.
So, as far as Katsina state government is concerned, we’re not praying that banditry continues.
Is the government contemplating total lockdown and how long will it take, looking at its economic impact on the people?
No. We’re doing it in the frontline areas. It’s like the Covid-19 pandemic and the shutdown; any area that’s considered to be vulnerable to attacks will be shut down temporarily because we know there are implications. We’re not contemplating locking down the state. We’re not praying for a situation that will warrant that.
Why is the government reintroducing vigilante group, does it mean formal security sector have failed?
No. We’re bringing back the vigilante group members to complement efforts being made by the government and the formal security sector to tackle insecurity.
But the state government once accused the same vigilantes of being overzealous and engaging in extrajudicial killings.
Katsina: These are the normal and known vigilante members who are officially known and recognize. We earlier banned Yan Sakai because they were informal and not under any specific leadership. They were banned because of the various complaints from residents of the state.
The new vigilante group members are under a recognized system. Governor Aminu Masari had told stakeholders during the recent security meeting that the vigilante members will be retrained by security agencies. These people know the terrain very well, we’re thinking of using them to ensure that the bandits are flushed out.
Residents of the state most of the security agents are not from the state, that the bandits know the terrain better than them. So we are now bringing those from the immediate communities into the picture. The vigilantes will be allowed to serve within their immediate environment.
I’m chairing the committee for the actualization of the institution of vigilante members, which seeks to ensure that they are properly trained and posted accordingly. We’re going to do the right thing.
Many people that served as vigilantes in the past complained about the lack of financial and logistics support from the government. What measures have the government put in place to ensure the new set doesn’t suffer the same fate?
We’ve already set up structures that will make them a part of the security architecture of the state, and they’re being adequately supported by the government. Not only are the vigilantes that belong to us, but even the formal security agencies operating in the state are also being supported by the government. As far as we’re concerned, the vigilante groups are being supported and those being introduced will be fully supported too. We are doing that to ensure that they operate within the ambit of the law and with less stress.
