Gov Masari Takes Anti-Banditry Campaign To Niger Republic

Less than four days after meeting with bandits in the state, Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State yesterday travelled to the Niger Republic as part of his ongoing dialogue campaign with bandits and kidnappers, operating in the State.

Masari and some state officials had on September 4^th met with some bandits in Dankolo Village of Sabuwa Local Government Area of the state.

According to a statement by his media aide, Labaran Malumfashi, the governor met his counterpart in the prefecture of Maradi, Niger Republic, Zakari Umaru.

Part of the statement read, “This is coming in tandem with Masari’s ongoing reconciliation overtures with ‘commanders’ of the various disparate camps of the bandits who have turned eight of the 34 Local Government Areas in the state, targets of their regular deadly assaults. These assaults often result in multiple deaths and destruction of properties running into millions in worth.”

The statement further noted that Masari was accompanied on the trip by Governor Muhammadu Bello Matawallin of Zamfara State, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State and Senator Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State.

According to reports, one of the major demands of the bandits during Masari’s meeting with them was that the government should release their members arrested and detained in various prisons across the country before they would accept to discuss with the government.