The Katsina State Government says it will not negotiate with any criminal or group of criminals but will do everything humanly possible to protect the people.
The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr Nasiru Muazu-Danmusa, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Katsina.
Muazu-Danmusa also said that the state government was taking the necessary measures to enable the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state to return to their respective communities.
He said that the inauguration of the Community Security Watch Corps (KCSWC) by Gov. Dikko Radda on October 10 was an indicator of the commitment and determination to restore lasting peace in the state.
The commissioner said, ”I think Katsina State has the highest number of IDPs in the North-West as a result of insecurity.
“However, we are making efforts to reverse the negative narrative by putting in place excellent strategies that will address the problem.”
Muazu-Danmusa said that the government had benchmarked the salaries of the agency’s operatives on the basis of the National Minimum Wage.
“We are constructing their offices, providing them with patrol vehicles, motorcycles, weapons, and gadgets, among others, for their effective operations.
“So, we are going in tandem with the provisions of the constitution in providing them with all these things,” he said.
Muazu-Danmusa added, “The members of the corps are indigenes of their respective communities; they have been at the forefront of the fight against the terrorists; they are familiar with the terrain and have agreed to protect their people.”
He expressed optimism that, with the fervent prayers of the people, the operation would be successful.
Muazu-Danmusa also urged the public to intensify efforts to provide credible intelligence information to security agents to enable them to effectively nip crimes in the bud.
NAN recalls that the state government trained and posted 1,466 youths to their respective communities to work with other security agents in the fight against banditry.
