Bandits scuttle projects execution in Katsina

From Lawal Sa’idu Funtua, Katsina

Katsina state government has lamented that, the activities of Bandits across the state had scuttled the execution of various development Projects.
Secretary to the Government of the state, Alhaji Mustapha Inuwa made the lamentation on Monday while briefing newsmen on the activities in his office in Katsina.
According to him, some of the projects scuttled by the bandits include the Batsari-Shimfida road, Maidabino-Danmusa road and several dam projects.
“The contractors cannot mobilize to site for fear of being attacked or kidnapped by the bandits. Therefore they have no option than to abandon the project sites”.
He further disclosed that, the state government has spent the total sum of about N4.27 billion on security in the last six years.
Inuwa added that, in the past six years, the government has initiated dialogue and armnesty for the bandits which collapsed due to the insincerity of the leaders of the bandits groups.
He noted that, no peace could be achieved as long as the bandits are still holding on to their arms, adding that, government is making efforts to block the sources of these bandits getting access to arms and hard drugs.
The SGS however called for synergy amongst the security agencies and affected states in the North-west zone in tackling the menace of this criminal activities by the bandits.
On social intervention and empowerment programme, he said government has trained no fewer than 140 youth clusters on eight different selected skills namely ICT, poultry and fish production, vegetable oil extraction, catering, cosmetics, interior decorations, shoes and bags, as well as tailoring.