Without State Police, Nigeria’s Insecurity Will Persist — Governor Radda

The Governor of Katsina State, Dikko Umaru Radda, has called for urgent establishment of state police to combat rising insecurity in northern Nigeria.

Speaking at a two-day roundtable on insecurity at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC) on Thursday in Abuja, Radda said immediate support and protection of victims of insecurity was necessary.

The event themed “Multi-dimensional Approach to Tackling Insecurity in Northern Nigeria,” brought attention to rising insecurity in the North West region, including banditry, kidnapping, insurgency, and communal conflicts.

Governor Radda stressed the importance of a unified and regional approach.

“These challenges have disrupted the lives of countless Nigerians and hindered economic growth and development in the area. Addressing this crisis requires a concerted effort and a unified approach, transcending state boundaries.

“To understand the significance of regional cooperation in the fight against insecurity, several factors must be considered. The first is the cross-border nature of insecurity.

“Our experience with bandits shows that they operate freely between Katsina, Zamfara, and Sokoto. Any effort to push them out of one state leads them to safe havens in neighbouring states, and they often return to their original base,” he said.

Citing the cross-border nature of insecurity, Radda shared insights into the challenges faced in dealing with bandits who freely operate between Katsina, Zamfara, and Sokoto.

He lamented the lack of information sharing between states, contributing to a poorly-coordinated effort by federal government security agencies.

He, however, announced the Northwest governors’ approach to the African Development Bank for investments in agriculture and power, alongside plans for an inaugural Northwest Peace and Security Summit in partnership with UNDP.

He said, “The level of insecurity has now mandated the need to have open discussions about innovative solutions to fight insecurity. We must take into account all stakeholders and absolutely and immediately provide support and protection to the victims of insecurity.

“The regional approach requires targeted coordination towards socioeconomic development to reduce poverty and associated insecurity. To this end, the Northwest governors approached the African Development Bank to solicit investments in agriculture and power.

“We are now embarking on an inaugural Northwest Peace and Security Summit in partnership with UNDP to bring all stakeholders and our best minds together to find solutions to the ongoing insecurity in the region”.